The Intervening Years
by BOC42
Summary: For toys, the friendships and relationships forged over many tender years are held in the small, sticky hands of children.  Woody and Bo have learned their lesson well: don't waste the intervening years.  Woody x Bo, some Buzz x Jessie.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pixar, Toy Story, or any of the awesome characters that inhabit that happy universe. I do happen to own a couple of Woody dolls though, who have been very patient with me while I have attempted to finish this. I also own Ellie and Zack, so if you feel inclined to use them for some bizarre reason, please ask first and give credit where credit is due. I slaved over them for hours. Really. ;) For a full list of things I don't own, please see the credits._

_Holding out for a Hero_

"Wayne, you shouldn't be doing that," Julie Davis chided her husband, taking his hand and helping him up onto their bed.

Wayne moaned and clutched his side. The pain was much worse now. "As if you should be climbing around in the attic in _your _condition," he said, trying to kid.

His 6-month pregnant wife sighed. "What were you getting, anyway?"

Wayne opened the cardboard box on the bedspread and began scooping out packing peanuts. The pain in his side was telling him this had to be done quickly. "I found an old friend of mine for Andy." Wayne pulled a tall, lanky cowboy doll from the box. "I've had Woody since I was ten. I want Andy to have him now."

Julie hitched herself onto the other side of the bed. "You always said you were going to wait until he was a little older to give him Woody. He's an antique," she said fondly, looking at the doll's large brown eyes.

Wayne nodded and gritted his teeth. "I think you should call your mom, Julie. I'm going to need to go to the hospital tonight."

The hospital runs had become more frequent as Wayne's cancer had spread. Julie knew that the malignant tumor was getting larger, but she had learned early on to detach herself from the emotions that came with Wayne's requests for additional pain killers or late night trips to the hospital. The little girl in her stomach didn't need her mom's heart rate elevated, and little Andy, nearly five, didn't need to see his mom's distress either. Julie nodded and got off the bed and headed for the phone in the hallway.

Wayne looked at Woody solemnly. "I've got a job for you, Sheriff Woody," he said quietly. "I'm not going to be around to take care of my boy, Andy. He's a good kid, and he needs a man to look after him; make sure he turns out, Woody. Can you do that for me? Can you help Julie look after Andy?"

The toy's eyes, grimy with dust, just stared back at the blond man. Suddenly Wayne gasped and rolled forward onto Woody, grasping at his side. "Julie?" He called, trying to keep the panic out of his voice. He didn't need Andy hearing him. Not tonight.

"I'm coming!" She appeared in the doorway and gasped to see her husband shivering in agony "I'm going to call the ambulance, Wayne. Hold on!" She fled the room. In his hand, Wayne suddenly felt a gentle and reassuring pressure, as if Woody had squeezed his finger.

Andy had heard the panic in his mom's voice and step.

"Daddy?" Andy's little voice came from just below the edge of the tall bed his dad was now lying on, moaning. "Daddy are you okay?"

How do you tell a four-year-old – your son - that in the morning he wasn't going to have a dad anymore? You didn't.

"Andy?" Wayne Davis summoned the last of his strength and sat up. He took Woody from the bed and held him out. "I want you to have Woody. He's going to help take care of you now, okay?"

Missing the obvious implications, he nodded. He pulled Woody from his father's hand and clutched him to his chest without looking at him. "Thank you, daddy."

There was the sound of car doors opening and closing outside, and Andy looked out the window to see a stretcher being rolled up the driveway. Wayne thanked his lucky stars that this wasn't the first time he'd been wheeled out on a stretcher. The less distress Andy was in, the better.

"Mom's going to take me to the hospital now, okay Andy? Grandma will be here in ten minutes; do you think you can wait in your room for her, or do you want to go downstairs and watch TV?" Even as he spoke fluidly, he clenched and unclenched his fists, fighting the pain. Tears formed at the corners of his eyes.

"I'll go to my room with Woody," Andy said as the EMT's entered the room and popped up the stretcher. "I hope you feel better, daddy," he said, sucking on his thumb.

"I will soon, Andy. I love you, remember?" he asked as the EMT's helped him off the bed and onto the stretcher.

Andy nodded and backed into the wall. His mother came and kissed his head. "Grandma's coming real soon. You'll be safe, okay?" she whispered quickly.

He scarcely had time to nod his head before both his parents were gone. He stood at the window and watched the ambulance drive away. The boy had seen the ambulance lots of times, and he knew his daddy was sick. He'd been left alone for a few minutes at night before, so he wasn't too scared.

Andy padded back to his bedroom and climbed up onto his bed, turning on both his red lamp and his baby sister's Bo Peep lamp in order to make lots of light. Then he pulled Woody under the blankets and sat up to make a tent.

He'd heard about Woody from daddy before. Woody had belong to his dad when he was a little older than him, and he'd had a TV show or something. "What do you do, Woody?" Andy asked curiously. He rotated the toy slowly and saw the pull string. Slipping a cautious finger through it, he pulled and turned the toy to face him.

"You're my favorite deputy," the doll said slowly.

Andy smiled. "A cowboy." He pulled the string again and again, listening to each of the doll's phrases. After he had listened to them all, he laughed and laid down, ready to sleep.

There was gentle tap at the door. "Andy? It's grandma." The door opened and a young grandmother stepped into the room, smiling sadly. "Were you scared?"

"No. I have Woody," Andy said firmly, holding up his new toy. "He was daddy's."

Grandma smiled fondly at Woody. "Goodness, what a handsome little cowboy!"

"He's not handsome, he's brave," Andy objected.

"I'll bet he is," grandma said. "Think you can go to sleep now?"

'Mmhmmm."

Grandma turned the lamps off, and five minutes later, Andy was sleeping peacefully, one arm loosely around Woody, the other under his cheek.

The breathing of a child, the quiet thump of their heart against a tiny body, those were things toys didn't forget. In the moonlit stillness of the room, for the first time in over ten years, Woody felt a child's embrace.

The box had been stuffy, claustrophobic at times, and terrifyingly taped shut and placed under something heavy. Woody had heard nothing and felt nothing, human or toy, for ages. He silently thanked Andy for pulling on his pullstring; it had felt like there were enormous knots in it, constricting his breathing. Woody felt more conscious than he ever had in his life. He could hear crickets outside the window and see the shadows of leaves on the blanket. The wallpaper in the bedroom was a deep blue in the moonlight, and it was covered in clouds. He also felt anxiety squirming around in his gut. _Wayne?_

He heard a rustle on the bedside table to his right.

"Are you all right down there?" A soft, sweet, husky voice called down to him. Woody turned to look up at the shadows on the bedside table. He'd almost forgotten that other toys could talk.

"Yeah," he called back softly. His voice seemed smaller outside of the confines of a cardboard box.

"He's a sound sleeper; you can move," the voice called again.

Woody swallowed and very gently extricated himself from underneath Andy's arm. He stood up on the pillow, readjusted his hat, and stretched hard. After what felt like decades of lying fairly inert in a box of packing peanuts, it felt like absolute bliss to be standing up.

"So you're Woody," the voice said. He turned and looked over, but he could still only see the shadows. "We've heard a lot about you."

Woody chuckled. "Careful, you might scare me away." He tiptoed toward the nightstand and clambered up. He glanced down to ensure that Andy was still asleep. The boy didn't move.

"I don't think you scare easily," came the voice, this time a little louder.

Woody turned and worked his way around the large lamp only to find himself looking at another lamp. And an absolutely stunning girl. He stopped short, his voice suddenly gone.

The girl, a shepherdess wearing a filmy full white dress with pink trimming, sauntered up to him. In the moonlight, he could just make out that her eyes were the most exquisite shade of blue he'd ever seen. Woody took a deep breath and summoned up his courage. "Howdy," he said softly, taking off his hat and holding it. "I'm Woody." His name sounded quite stupid to him at that moment.

The girl smiled broadly. "Bo," she told him. She pointed behind her at a row of three sheep glued together. "and sheep."

Woody nodded to the little sheep, who bleated softly at him. He looked back over at Andy; the boy could only be four or five. "I'm afraid I've been in the attic for a long time. Would you mind giving me the lay of the land?" He sounded more ridiculous with every sentence.

Bo stepped up and pointed her shepherd's crook down at the sleeping boy. "This is Andy. I guess you knew his dad?"

Woody nodded and rubbed the back of his head. "That was...quite a shock," he said slowly. "The last time I saw Wayne he was a young man getting ready to leave for college. Then he pulls me out of the box and gives me to his kid..." Woody shuddered. He looked helplessly at Bo. "What's happening to Wayne?"

Bo looked at him searchingly for a moment. When she finally answered, her voice was very hushed. "He has terminal cancer. I really can't tell you much more than that. He's been sick since Andy was a baby." She paused, judging his reaction. "Andy is going to turn five next week, and in about three months, his mother is going to have a baby girl."

Woody's chest tightened and he exhaled slowly. No wonder the handsome young face had been scarcely recognizable. "Cancer...terminal cancer..." He looked away, replacing his hat. "Wayne," he said slowly, "is wonderful. He kept me up on the bookshelf on a stand after he stopped playing with me. I was really his only toy...he had games and stuff, but only a couple of stuffed bears from when he was a kid." He smiled reminiscently.

"So you're an only child?" Bo asked with a grin, taking his cue for optimism and running with it.

He turned and looked at her lovely face. "I guess you could say that." He simply looked for a moment, then asked, "What about you? Where do you fit in to all the excitement?"

Bo shrugged. "Grandma bought me for the baby when she gets here. I just stand up here and watch everyone, mostly. There's not too many of us." She turned and pointed with her crook. "Hamm is the piggy bank, he's over there on the bookshelf. There's Mr. Potato Head and Slinky Dog, they're in the toy box. And then there's a Treasure Troll from some happy meal. I think she stays in the toy box too. And there's a stuffed bear who usually sits on the shelf clear over there."

"That's everyone?"

Bo nodded. "Andy plays very nicely with us. Well – he doesn't touch me."

Woody grinned. He liked this girl. "Girl germs?"

She laughed ruefully and began sauntering back to the lamp. "Grandma won't let him touch me."

Woody followed her, watching the way her skirts swung when she moved. Wayne hadn't had any sisters with girl toys, and so he'd never really seen a doll before. "Maybe when he's older he will," he consoled.

He couldn't imagine not ever being talked to or held. Even when he was just sitting on his shelf in Wayne's room, Wayne would talk to him. Woody felt a chill wash over him that had nothing to do with Bo's presence. The last fifteen years in his storage box had not been pleasant; he impulsively wanted to jump back down into Andy's arms and stay there, just because the thought of feeling someone against him would help.

Bo brushed a porcelain hand over her sheep's heads. Woody felt awkward again. What _was_ he supposed to do? Should he stay up here, talking with Bo all night? Wander around the room? Maybe he should curl back up with Andy.

"You've been in storage for about fifteen years, then?" Bo asked him.

He shrugged, grateful that she was doing the talking. "Probably about that long."

"You're not tired, then," she smiled.

"Heh...not really." He slouched awkwardly, trying to think of what to do.

"Any other night I'd offer to show you around," she said, smiling. In the pale light, Woody could just make out that the smile was slightly mischievous. He laughed somewhat nervously.

"It's all right. Rain check."

"Yes."

He cast around for something to say. "It's nice to have someone to talk to," he said finally. He mentally scorned himself for coming up with something that corny.

Bo carefully sat down on the edge of her lamp and looked up at him. "Why don't you sit down and keep talking?" she asked him naturally. Her voice was quite mesmerizing.

Feeling that he may have possibly bit off more than he could chew, yet also extremely grateful to Bo for the offer, Woody sat down on the lamp a safe distance from her.

"The sheep bite. I don't," she said, smirking.

Woody didn't say anything but obediently moved closer.

Bo changed the subject. "What did you do in your storage box?" she asked him idly, twirling her crook in front of her.

Woody shrugged and focused on the question. "There wasn't anything to do. I slept a lot...talked to myself."

"Was it hard?" she asked suddenly, looking at him hard. Woody felt like he was under a magnifying glass. "I wasn't in a box for very long, and mine had plastic so I could see out.'

He rubbed at the back of his neck. "It was terrible at first, I guess. I felt...abandoned." Deep-seated feelings rushed back to him. "I got lonely and upset and scared and angry and-" he stopped and blushed. "I guess you don't need to hear all that."

Bo was looking at him fondly. "I can't understand it; I've never been, well...really loved by an owner yet. I can't imagine how hard it was to suddenly be shut away and never held again, Woody."

The sound of his name on her lips nearly knocked him over. He _knew _he'd been in storage far too long, but the sudden ache in the pit of his stomach begging him to connect with Bo was overwhelming. He felt hungry for any kind of attention, and for a second he indulged in the idea of kissing her, even though he'd never kissed anyone before. He needed physical contact with someone – anyone.

"Woody?" she asked softly, leaning to look into his face.

When he found his voice again, what came out surprised him. "I think I know how you feel, Bo, not ever being loved or held. Just a bit, anyway."

Perhaps it suddenly struck Bo that she was rapidly developing a crush on Woody, or possibly that she really hadn't ever been touched by a human, or any other toy besides her sheep, but she reached out and brushed his cheek with her hand.

Both of them shivered at the contact. They sat in suspended air for long moments. Woody had nearly decided to just _touch_ his mouth to her skin to see what would happen, when he heard creaking footsteps in the hallway.

Bo had practically stopped breathing "Go-" she gasped, getting up.

Feeling dazed and confused, Woody jumped up and hurtled himself back down onto the bed and fell lifeless. _What was I doing - - _He could scarcely answer himself.

Andy's grandmother re-entered the room and switched on the red lamp. "Andy? Sweetheart, wake up."

In the covers, Andy wormed for a moment before opening his eyes. Blearily, he sat up. "How's daddy feeling?" he asked, looking up at his grandma with huge brown eyes.

Grandma looked at the floor for a long time. "Daddy is…all better now. Daddy is in heaven, Andy."

Andy cried.

He climbed into his grandmother's lap and cried, asking when his mom was coming home, when could he see his daddy, and if he should stay up all night to wait for her. His grandmother smoothed his hair, rubbed his back, and whispered reassurances to the boy.

Forty long, agonizing minutes later, his head sore with crying and cheeks stained red, Andy fell asleep. Grandma gently pressed Woody back into her grandson's arms, turned off the lamp, and left.

Woody was in shock. Wayne was...gone? No. No, no... Feeling a desperate need for air, Woody climbed out of Andy's arms and stood on the pillow, gasping. Not Wayne. Not his good little cowboy. Not Wayne, not Wayne-

There was a sudden pressure on his arm, and Woody turned to find Bo gazing at him, worried. "Woody? I'm so sorry..."

He didn't know what to do. For the first time in his life, Woody wished that he could cry. His eyes were burning, his ears ringing, his throat constricted. "I - I.. Wayne?"

He needed to move, to get some air... Leaving Bo standing there, he climbed around Andy, jumped up on the bookshelf and prized the window open. He was shaking so hard he couldn't keep upright, so he flung himself down on the sill. _Really. Tears would be helpful now_, he thought angrily. His hands clenched in and out of fists and his chest ached. He needed something to hold onto, just to hold something, to feel something solid in his arms.

Two cool hands slid themselves under his shoulders and pulled him into a kneeling position. As if she could read his thoughts, Bo silently wrapped her arms snuggly around him and kissed his cheek. Woody abandoned himself to his pain and threw his arms around her, holding on like there was no tomorrow. _This was what he needed._

With the ease of a mother comforting a child, Bo pulled Woody to the side of the window and eased him into her shoulder. In later years it would be Bo who fell asleep on Woody's shoulder, but tonight Woody found a sweet peace and friendship in her arms that he'd never felt before. He slept more deeply and soundly held to her cool porcelain body that night than he had for years in a box of soft packing material.

She roused him just before sunrise the next morning with soft hand on his cheek and a gentle murmur in his ear. "Good morning."

Woody raised his head slowly, blinking at the purple horizon and silently settling his situation and emotions into their proper places. Of the myriad of emotions that were now reawakening inside of him, embarrassment was not one of them. He took a deep breath and sat up. "You didn't have to do that," he said to her quietly.

She smiled. "I wanted to."

He nodded gratefully and helped her to her feet.

"Besides," she said lightly, "you're much better company than my sheep."

"I don't know about that," he said quietly, smiling as they walked carefully around Andy's still form.

"You're a lot more comfortable than them," she matter-of-factly.

He turned looked at her squarely. "I'm not sure what to think about you," he said honestly.

Andy turned over in his sleep and the sunlight starting to creep in the window.

"Right now I don't care _what_ you think about me, as long as you _are_ thinking about me," Bo said slyly, letting go and using her crook to get back up on the nightstand. She looked back down at Woody, who was looking slightly abashed. He'd get used to it. "If last night was any indication," she nodded at Andy, "I don't think he's going to let you out of his sight for a while."

Woody looked behind him at the fair-headed boy. "Maybe," he agreed.

"So I'll see you later, cowboy," she said, vanishing behind the red lamp.

"Yes ma'am," he breathed. _That girl sure knows how to make an exit, _he thought as he climbed back into position in Andy's bed.


	2. Chapter 2

_Again, I own nothing. No Pixar, no Sci-fi channel (don't even have cable), no Battleship, and I don't even have any marshmallows. _

Kiss and Tell

"So, what we're _trying_ to say is-" Mr. Potato head wobbled uncertainly and looked at the ceiling.

Slinky coughed and bumped him out of the way. "What Potato Head means is that we're all sorry about thinkin' you'd hurt Buzz, and for throwin' you out of the moving van."

Woody was very conscious of the bed right behind him, and he had an odd urge to duck underneath it. These were his friends, his gang; but right now standing in front of them, being spoken to instead of doing the talking, felt wrong.

Rex was wringing his small hands together and turning his head, waiting for Woody's verdict. RC was looking like an eager puppy, glad to have him back. Hamm, and for once in his life, Potato Head, had the grace to look ashamed of themselves. Snake's tail was twitching nervously, and Robot and Mr. Spell were making awkward beeping noises. In the back of the crowd, Bo was leaning on her crook, looking thoroughly miserable.

Woody swallowed. Beside him, Buzz nudged him gently and gave him an encouraging nod.

Woody tried a smile. "Hey, don't worry about it, guys. It's fine." He turned and nodded to Buzz, who smiled at him. Buzz understood. But now he needed to make the rest of them understand. He looked back at them, feeling thoroughly cowed. "But I...I need to apologize to you guys."

The toys cast glances at each other and shuffled uncertainly.

"I didn't mean to knock Buzz out the window, but I didn't want him around anymore." He looked at Buzz, who was still smiling. "I apologized to him, and now I need to apologize to you guys. I was acting like an idiot. You guys are my friends, and I treated you all like dirt. I'm sorry." He slumped a little bit, but felt somehow lighter inside.

The toys were muttering to themselves. Woody looked at the ground and waited for them to decide to hate him again. At last, very quietly and sincerely, Rex whimpered, "You're our friend, Woody. We don't hate you."

Woody looked up. Count on Rex to say exactly what he needed to hear.

"That's right, Woody," Slinky added. "I'd say we're even."

Mr. Potato Head stamped his foot. "If we don't have you around, we're just a bunch of toys," he pointed out.

"You're the Sheriff," proclaimed Hamm, swishing the spare change in his belly around.

Woody felt like the world had been lifted off his shoulders as he was suddenly pinned to the side of the bed with his friends hugging him, cheering, shouting. A smile lit up his face and he found himself suddenly rolling across the floor in a friendly tussle with Buzz, Rex, and Slinky. Life could officially go on now.

...

Later that evening, Woody found himself leaning on the windowsill, watching Andy and a friend setting up a tent for a sleepover in the yard below.

"Woody?"

He turned to find Bo looking at him, still looking unhappy.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, touching her elbow cautiously. It wasn't a good idea to get too close.

She looked at him with huge blue eyes. "I needed to apologize too."

Woody shrugged and waved his hand. "No you don't."

She grasped both of his hands tightly. "I do."

He gulped and shook his head. "No, you tried to side with me, remember?" He dipped his head to look under her bonnet. "I seem to remember you telling Sarge and everyone to let me go. And you tried to get us back in the van." He was incredibly grateful to her for that, even if it hadn't worked.

She looked at him uncertainly. "I didn't think you were capable of doing something like that."

Woody felt his stomach twist into a knot. He sighed. "I've got news for you, Bo. I'm definitely not perfect. I get angry and jealous and mean. And I do stupid, mean things."

"But you always make things right afterwards," she said softly, then wrapped him into a very tight hut. Woody stiffened, unsure. Very, very slowly, he put his arms around her back and tried to pretend like he meant it. It wasn't like he didn't _want _to hold her...

He wasn't quite sure when it had happened, but sometime in the past year he had stopped feeling comfortable around her. Instead, the sight of her made his knees shake, and any sort of close proximity made his voice disappear.

It hadn't always been that way, he thought dolefully. He remembered falling asleep on her shoulder the first night he met her, and waking up the next morning without any embarrassment. He remembered the fun they used to have together.

Woody fondly recalled the day they'd found out each other were ticklish. After that he had always gone out of his way to sneak up behind her and poke her sides to make her jump. Or, if he was in the mood to pull a prank, he'd lure her sheep away from their lamp and replace them with stacks of marshmallows or wads of cotton balls to make her laugh.

It wasn't like he just got away with any of it either. She'd yank on his pull string every time he'd walk past, just to make sure he said something random and embarrassing. She'd use her crook to knock his hat off his head and down to her waiting sheep, who would run off with it. And if her sheep turned into marshmallows too many days in a row, it was a sure bet that he was going to be pinned to the wall and tickled until he told her where they were.

He looked down uncertainly at the girl who had her face buried in his vest and frowned. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't they have fun anymore? Why couldn't he bring himself to start tickling her, right now, when hearing her laugh was one of the sweetest things in the world? Why couldn't he...

Bo finally looked up at him, and he attempted to smile. His non-existent heart felt like it was thumping absurdly fast, and he was sure she could feel it. Her eyes held his for several seconds, and he fought the urge to blink. Even though he was staring right at her, he somehow missed seeing her hand until her fingertips were brushing his cheek. He swallowed hard, feeling hot.

"Woody?" Her voice was so appealingly inviting and low...

_She's too close, too close! _ Without thinking about it any further, he took a long step backwards on the desk and looked at her.

"Ye-yeah?" He heard his voice crack.

"Are _you _okay?"

He felt his head nod quickly, like a jackhammer. He took another step backwards. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard a voice yell, "_Idiot!" _

"Fine. Great. Umm...I think...I think I better go ask Buzz about that thing I was going to..." And he turned on his heel and fled. The same dizziness that had possessed him the first time he'd met her and contemplated kissing her seized him again and he felt himself stumble as he raced behind the bed.

He stopped and leaned against the bedpost, his breath coming hard. _That_ was what was wrong. He wanted to kiss her. "That," he said aloud to himself, "is a dangerous idea, Woody."

...

On the desk, Bo studied his retreat with interest. "Finally," she muttered, satisfied.

From the moment she'd set eyes on him she'd been itching to do far more than yank on his pull string, but it had been fairly apparent to her that all of her flirtatious advances had been taken as nothing but friendly play. But, six months ago he would have had no problem hugging her. The fact that he had suddenly panicked meant it was time to make her move.

Standing alone on the sunset-drenched desk, Bo smiled mischievously. This was going to be fun.

..

FOUR MONTHS LATER

Bo was twirling her crook through her hand, watching. She now officially belonged in Molly's room, but she always migrated back to Andy's bedroom when she could. Everyone knew that Bo was just coming over to try and corner Woody. Everyone, apparently, except Woody.

Today, Andy had taken Woody to his new school for show and tell, but Bo came over anyway after mom and Molly had left to get some Christmas shopping done. She had taken up a position on the desk, watching Buzz and Slinky flip through TV channels.

"Can you believe this? Three-hundred and sixty-two channels an' there's nothing on," Slinky rasped, his paw pumping the SEEK button on the remote.

Buzz sighed. "Try the music channels, maybe there's something on there."

"Buzz, if we have to listen to another Christmas channel for five hours, this dog is going to push the satellite off the roof. I've had enough Christmas music to last me a lifetime."

"Okay, okay! Try the Sci-fi channel again."

"It's only been five minutes, Battleship Universe is still on."

"Maybe it's a commercial."

Bo laughed out loud. "You boys are certainly desperate. Andy's only had that TV for a month and you're already addicted."

Slinky let out a barking laughed. "Careful, you're talking to the only Space Ranger who has his own TV show."

"Now Slink, just because I have a TV show-" Buzz started, holding up his hands.

"Where you look nothing like yourself," Bo joked.

"You are a wee bit larger in real life," Slinky grinned, his tail boinging.

This was rather a sore spot with Buzz. He shook his head. "Just because I like to watch my TV show occasionally-"

"Three times a day," Bo added.

He coughed. "And you don't-"

"I'd rather not," she smiled sweetly. He was so easy to tease.

Buzz shrugged. "I'd like to see what happened if _Woody _had a TV show. You'd watch it with him three times a day."

Bo paused, then shrugged.

"Of course, you'd probably like it if he'd just stand still for more than two seconds at a time," Buzz teased, grinning knowingly.

Bo was fairly shameless. "It would only take five seconds if he'd hold still," she said, spinning her crook.

"And if he would step within a foot of you."

Bo nodded. "Either that or I need a longer crook."

Slinky shook his head. "I can't figure out what's in that boy's head. I thought it was a sure thing from the gettup." He paused. "Maybe he's just scared of yeh're shepherd's hook. It can't be pleasant, bein' jerked around with that," he said matter-of-factly, eyeing the blue crook in her hands.

Bo looked down at it, wondering. "My sheep have never complained," she said finally.

Buzz and Slinky just looked at each other. Finally, "It looks painful," Buzz cringed.

Without warning, Bo lashed out with her crook, hooking Buzz's neck and dragging him right up against her. "Well?"

Buzz was stiff for a moment, blinking, his mind reeling at how close Bo was to him, and suddenly realized exactly why Woody was avoiding the lovely girl's reach. It hadn't really hurt, but a man needed to be able to slowly analyze the situation; take his time getting _this _close to a girl. The pressure on the back of his neck was constraining. And he needed to be able to_ get away._

Bo unhooked him and stepped back expectantly. "Well?" she asked again.

Buzz took a few deep breaths. "That's just... a little too fast to get that close to someone," he said lamely. On the other hand, he was suddenly feeling deliciously euphoric and dazed. He'd always thought that was how the _girl _was supposed to feel. "I thought it was supposed to work the other way around," he said aloud.

"What do you mean?" Bo asked.

Buzz gulped. "The girl's supposed to be swept off her feet, not the guy," he muttered.

Bo glared and got right back up in his face. "Just you wait, Buzz Lightyear. One day you're going to have those booster rockets knocked right out from under you."

Buzz backed up as Slinky howled with laughter. "I...I just meant that..." Buzz became silent, repeating to himself that Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn.

Slink edged between them. "I'm with you, Bo. I think Woody's plum scared, and he's missin' out. I don't care if you get him with a crook, net, hook, or a fishin' pole, just get 'im."

...

"Woody?" Buzz cleared his throat and ventured up behind his best friend.

"Hmm?" came the answer. Woody was immersed in Battleship with Slinky.

"Slinky and I have been wondering if you're going to do anything," Buzz said, sitting down next to Woody. Slinky's front end appeared beside him.

Woody frowned and turned his board to Slinky wouldn't see his pieces. "About what?"

The two of them exchanged a glance. "We were just curious about Bo..."

Woody frowned and looked around shrewdly, making sure she wasn't in earshot.

"She's in Molly's room," Slinky said, bemused.

"Oh. Right. Well, um...I..." he trailed off in a series of inarticulate sounds.

Buzz nodded and looked at Slinky. "You were right."

"Woody, doncha like her?" Slinky asked.

Woody fingered the white peg he was holding. "Um...yeah...yeah, I do... What's the problem? We're great friends, I see her everyday, I talk to her... what's wrong?"

Buzz fingered his temple. "Don't you want to-"

"Of course I do," Woody fired, throwing the peg at Buzz's shoe.

He clearly remembered the afternoon a few months ago when Bo had come to him and tried to apologize for underestimating him. He didn't know how long he'd stood behind the bed and stared at the wallpaper without really seeing it. A flood of enticing and distracting images had overloaded inside his brain. _That laugh... The way her skirts drift and swing when she moves... Her eyes - such a bright blue... Her skin, her hands, so cool and smooth against his cheek..._

He frowned deeply. "But I'm not ready yet."

"Why?"

Woody made another incoherent noise. "Why are you asking?" he demanded finally, his cheeks turning red. He mentally punched himself for letting Buzz and Slinky pry this far.

Buzz was unsure what to say, but Slinky just looked off into space musingly. "She didn't blush when we asked _her_," he said.

Woody's gut clenched and his eyes rounded. "You _asked _her? You...you..." He stopped and braced himself visibly. "What did she say?"

Slinky's tail wagged. "You'd have to ask her. We don't _kiss and tell_!" he barked loudly and shuffled back behind his board.

Woody clenched his teeth and tried not to hyperventilate.

...

Christmas morning had finally arrived, dark and snowy. None of the toys had moved last night, because Andy had a bad habit of waking up every few hours and pacing around his bedroom, looking out the window, and peeking around the door. It was best if they just kept still. But finally mom had appeared with Molly in her arms and told Andy it was time to come downstairs. With all the excitement of Christmas morning, Buzz was glad that he and Woody had taken the opportunity yesterday afternoon to place a radio downstairs in the Christmas tree.

"Quiet! Quiet everyone! It's starting!" Buzz hollered from the bed where he was fine tuning the radio that had Sarge on the other end.

From the side of the toy box, Bo watched Woody follow Slinky and Rex towards the bed. She took a deep breath. With unerring accuracy, she hooked Woody's neck and dragged him back.

"Ow! Oh - Bo, there's gotta be a less painful way to get my attention," he said, rubbing his neck.

Bo tingled with anticipation. "Merry Christmas, Sheriff," she murmured low, pointing up with her crook.

Oblivious and still rubbing his neck, Woody squinted upwards. "Say, isn't that mistletoe?"

Bo tossed her crook away and tackled him. "Mmhmm!"

"Oof!" His hat slid across the floor and underneath the bookshelf.

For the first few seconds, Woody was stunned and did nothing but blink and hold Bo's waist rigidly as she covered the side of his face in lipstick. She pulled back, giggling, a triumphant grin on her lips. Then, with a very large and distinct _thump, _Woody's brain, absent for the past six months, slid back into place.

_ You can start it, sweetheart, but I'm gonna finish it_.

With an alacrity that surprised Bo, Woody rolled over, pushing her underneath him. He just grinned devilishly at her for a few moments, letting her wonder, then scooped her up, set her on her feet, and dipped her back. And then nothing else in the world was registering except _them_. He was bowed low over her, then he wasn't, his pull string was yanked out, it was winding back in, his back hit the toy box, there were going to be lipstick marks all over his other cheek, his chin, his forehead...

His mouth found the underside of her chin and she suddenly jumped in his arms as if she'd been shocked. For the first time in nearly half a minute they looked at each other. Her eyes were wide. He traced his finger around the place he'd just kissed. She jumped again. He grinned and touched his forehead to hers. "You've got a sweet spot," he said mischievously.

Bo held her breath.

"Where's Woody?" someone hollered.

"Ah, he's probably off with his wanna-be girlfriend," Hamm's voice answered.

"Darn straight," Woody said firmly.

Bo looked at him coyly before disentangling herself from his arms and going to retrieve his hat. He picked up her crook.

"I think you're going to want this," she practically purred, putting his hat back on his head at a teetering angle.

"And you're going to want this," Woody said, slipping Bo's crook gently around her neck and drawing her up to him. "Merry Christmas." With one last kiss to her lips, he winked and left.

...

Thanks for reading! I will be trying to update weekly, so bear with me. :) Also, I live off of reviews, and do try to personally respond to everyone who leaves me a good one. So, if you like something in you inbox aside from spam, shoot me a review!


	3. Chapter 3

_I always felt vaguely annoyed with Woody at the end of Toy Story II, and couldn't quite put my finger on it until I decided to write this story. So, I made Woody sit down with me, and we hashed out exactly why I was annoyed with him, and then I made him explain himself to me. Now, I can watch TSII and have no problems with Woody's decisions. And as always, I don't own Pixar, Smarties, Woody's Roundup, airline luggage trolleys, or a yellow Toyota truck with green aliens. _

"I Was a Yo-Yo!"

"Welcome home, gang," Woody said softly to Jessie and Bullseye as they hopped off the purloined luggage trolley.

"Yee-haw!" Jessie hollered, bouncing up and down like a four-year-old on Smarties.

"Jess! Jess! Calm down, or you'll wake up the whole neighborhood!" he laughed, holding her down.

"Let's just get inside; I can see the Missus waiting," Mr. Potato Head said impatiently, waving up at the figures standing in Andy's window. He started across the street, three little green men following close behind him.

Jangling with extra change, Hamm, Rex, and Slinky made to follow him. Before Woody and Buzz could reach the house, Hamm had already tossed Slinky up towards the roof.

"This way up," Woody said, indicating Slinky. Jessie grinned, grabbed Bullseye's neck and hollered. A second later the two of them vanished into the dark sky.

Woody sighed and shook his head slowly. "I can't believe I nearly walked away from all this, Buzz."

Buzz looked at him. "You made the right choice, Sheriff. That's what counts."

Woody gave him a weak smile and grabbed Slinky's tail. "I hope so," he said.

Jessie was waiting for him on the roof, evidently afraid to go into Andy's room without him. "Come on, Jess," he took her elbow and helped her over the windowsill. "I'll introduce – oof!"

Jessie pulled up and stared wide-eyed at the desk where Woody was now being tackled, kissed, and quite possibly suffocated by a girl in a white and pink dress. When she finally let him go, Woody tried to sit up, reeling and smothered in lipstick. "H- hi, Bo," he said, blinking hard.

"Don't mind them," Buzz said to Jessie, climbing into the window behind her. He steeled himself and pulled her away from Woody and Bo. "She was really worried about him."

Jessie frowned, confused, and stared at Woody and his girlfriend, who had finally let him up. "He didn't mention anyone," she whispered. "I mean – he was gonna go with us and everything. Like Andy was the only one he cared about. Doesn't he... doesn't he like her?" she asked quietly. An hour ago she'd thought Woody was the bravest, truest cowboy ever. But now she was just plum confused.

Buzz frowned. "I'm sure he'll work it out," he said, clearing his throat. "But I think until then, maybe we should keep it to ourselves that he wanted to go to Japan."

Jessie swallowed and worried, looking around the room. "It's a nice room... hey, just look at that there toy box, why, it's a wagon, Bullseye!" And with that she leapt down onto the bed and began a self-guided tour of the room. Buzz just stared.

...

As Snake and Robot helped push the blocks away that Wheezy had been using as a stage, Woody felt the metaphorical knot in his pull string tighten. No had said anything yet, but if he knew Andy's toys, it was only a matter of time before someone mentioned something about him _wanting _to abandon Andy and go to Japan. He shuddered. He wasn't proud of it, in fact, he was downright sick about it. This room, Andy, his friends, they were everything to him.

But Andy would never know, and all the other toys; they seemed to understand. He did stupid things occasionally, and it was all just water under the bridge. Buzz had put it behind him, Rex and Slink didn't care. Leave it up to Potato Head or Hamm to make some snide remark, but they didn't care either. But Bo would care. She would care very much that he had almost walked out on her. She would care that apparently she didn't mean that much to him.

Woody's head and heart both hurt. It was time, no matter how painful, to tell Bo exactly what had happened, and then get on his knees and beg for forgiveness.

He found her on the desk, watching Buzz watch Jessie. Buzz looked kind of comical, sitting there with his chin in his hand and a vacant expression.

For a moment he almost didn't go up. It seemed like he was always apologizing for some stupid thing or another. _What kind of idiot leaves his girl? I have got to be the worst person in the world. She deserves so much better..._ Forcing these seemingly trite and routine condemnations aside, Woody took a deep breath and got up on the desk.

"Hey Bo, can I talk to you?" he asked quietly, starting to reach for her hand. A pang of guilt hit him and he decided he wasn't good enough to even contemplate touching her.

She chuckled at Buzz and then followed Woody away. "You've been gone three days, and now you just want to talk?" she asked coyly, pulling him up to her with her shepherd's crook and raising her chin so he could kiss her more easily.

Woody's stomach swooped like he'd just been tossed of the bed while Andy was jumping on it. She was _never_ going to say that to him again...

"I...I..." He pulled the crook off his neck nervously and bit his lip. _Pull it together, Woody, come on. _ "I need to tell you exactly what happened this weekend. And then I need to beg you to forgive me." He looked mortally frightened.

Bo was surprised. "What, did you kiss Jessie or something?"

"What? Ew, no...no." If only it had been _that _simple. "You know a toy collector took me."

"Apparently you're worth a lot of money, hmm?"

"Heh – yeah. He was going to send us to a museum in Japan and then retire to Florida on the profits."

"Japan? Woody, I knew you were old, but I didn't realize you were an antique." Apparently forgetting that he was trying to apologize for something, Bo pulled at his vest.

"I wanted to go," he blurted out. He had to make her understand what a moron he was. She was supposed to hate him now, the way he hated himself.

"What?"

"I wanted to go to Japan. I... I'm not sure why. The Prospector made it sound so good: I wouldn't have to watch Andy grow up and stop playing with me; I wouldn't get ripped up; I would be with the people I was supposed to be with..."

"Woody?"

Woody plugged on with his confession, digging his grave. "And I ate it up. I was really excited to go to Japan. When Buzz showed up, I told him I wasn't coming with him." He let out the breath he had been holding.

She stepped back and stared at him. Woody could almost hear the wheels in her head spinning and he wished he knew where this was going to land him.

"Is that everything?" she asked quietly. Woody felt like he was on the losing end of a divorce case.

"Yes. Except-"

"And now you're going to beg for forgiveness?"

"Yes. No!" He smacked his palm into his face. "I... I don't expect you to forgive me. I don't deserve it. I'll... I'll leave you alone now." He turned to go.

Again, the crook around his neck. This time, it just hurt.

"Woody, is this it?" she asked frankly.

He may have been a thankless and selfish idiot, but he still understood what she was asking. _"Don't you love me?" _Yes. So much. But - would I have tried to run off to Japan if I really did?

"I...I don't know."

Bo gave him an appraising look. "Woody, I don't think you would have told me if you didn't care," she said slowly. "I don't like what you told me, but you were honest. That's half the battle as far as I'm concerned."

He swallowed. "Half the battle?"

"I forgive you," she said firmly. Woody felt lightheaded. "But - I think I need some space."

_She wasn't going to shove him off the desk? Wasn't going to tell him to get lost? She wasn't even going to slap him? _Considering that at that moment he would have ripped his arm off again to demonstrate his sincerity and remorse, this was a small request.

"All the space you need," he answered, backing up automatically. He was never, _ever_ going to take her forgranted again.

...

"Some space" turned into two agonizingly long, crawling weeks that filtered into the first days of school for Andy. In some ways this was easier, because Andy was no longer making Bo kiss him on a daily basis during playtime, but also because he could easily stay out of her sight. He was beginning to worry that they really were done. He both wanted to avoid her at all costs and to hold her.

He missed her; and she was just across the hall.

...

Jessie hadn't been in Molly's room yet, and so on her third Sunday at Andy's, she ventured in. Apart from wanting to explore, she also wanted to talk to Bo. She'd been having a growing notion that she had played a part in driving Woody and Bo apart.

Jessie looked around at the pink wallpaper and white molding and smiled. She hadn't been in a girl's room in an age. She cast around, looking for Bo. She found her standing on Molly's windowsill, looking out at the backyard. Jessie grinned. Apparently staring out of windows while being morose was a habit that Woody and Bo shared.

She climbed up the leg of the nightstand and waved. "Howdy."

Bo smiled. "Exploring?"

Jessie plopped herself down in front of Bo on the sill and began playing with the sheep. "Sure thing. So this is your spot, huh?"

"Yes."

"You like to look out the window?"

Bo nodded and looked at her curiously. Jessie had the feeling she was going to feel the full force of Bo's wrath if she started trying to talk about Woody. But deciding that she'd rather get burned on her own move than someone else's, Jessie dived right in.

"Are you still mad at him?"

Bo stared at her like she'd spouted antlers. "I'm not sure," she said carefully.

"What did he tell you?"

"Why is it any of your business?" Bo asked crisply.

"Because I've noticed Woody's bad at explaining things thoroughly, and I doubt you got the whole story."

Bo was about to retort when she realized Jessie had a point. Woody couldn't tell a story straight to save himself.

"I'll tell you the whole story," Jessie volunteered quietly and firmly. "I think you'll like it a whole lot better." The sheep bleated in her arms happily.

Not many toys got along well with her sheep; they always tried to chew on things they shouldn't. The fact that they liked Jessie, and that she liked them, was a good recommendation in Bo's book. She sat down next to Jessie and touched one of the sheep's heads. "Tell me."

Jessie nodded. "Al, the man who took Woody, dropped him off in the office then left. I was watchin' from my box, and the first thing Woody did was jump off the table and run for the door. Of course it was locked. He tried the air vent and he tried the window. If we hadn't been on the 32 floor of an office building," she pointed out the window and indicated the tall red building gleaming on the horizon, "he would have jumped out and come running back, even though his arm was ripped.

"When Bullseye and the Prospector and I introduced ourselves, and even after we showed him all the merchandise and the TV show and everything, he still wanted to come home. Did he tell you about the merchandise?"

Bo looked over the sheep at Jessie. "No," she laughed. "What merchandise? He just told me a toy collector wanted him."

Jessie grinned. "Back in the 1950's, Woody was the star of a TV show called _Woody's Roundup._" She grabbed her boots and rocked back happily. "It was a national phenomenon! There were dolls, there were lunchboxes, records and record players, yo-yos –oh, Woody _loved_ the yo-yo – and there were clips in the TV Guide about us, an' Al had found this great big cardboard cutout of Woody – lifesize, Bo, can you imagine? And it was all there!" She smiled sincerely at Bo. "And he still said no."

Bo marveled at this revelation. So Woody was a valuable collector's item with his own TV show? And Buzz thought _he _was cool.

"A guy came and fixed Woody's arm and cleaned him up; painted over Andy's name on his boot-"

Bo gasped. "What!" That had to have hurt.

"Yeah. And then it happened."

Bo looked down and focused on the sheep. "What happened, Jessie?"

"He was getting ready to leave and I pitched a fit. If Woody wasn't with us, Al was gonna put us back in storage." Jessie paused for a minute, playing anxiously with her braid. "I can't do storage, Bo. I get scared, and claustrophobic, and I panic-" she gulped a couple of times. "And I just couldn't stand the fact that he was gonna make me go back into The Box. I was mean an' I yelled at him. The Prospector finally told him to try an' make up with me before he left.

That's when I told him about Emily." Jessie looked as if she could cry. Impulsively, Bo reached across the sheep and took her hand.

"Who's Emily?"

"Emily was my owner. What... What Woody and Andy have? That's what Emily and I had, Bo. We were best friends. And then... Emily grew up. She got rid of me." Jessie's voice cracked and she closed her eyes for a moment before continuing. "I think I scared Woody. He's never imagined a time when he wouldn't be with Andy, has he?"

Bo bit her lip. "He's a Davis family heirloom. He belonged to Andy's father, Wayne. Wayne gave him to Andy the night he died-" Bo turned away, remembering that cataclysmic, whirlwind night. "But I think he'll always need a Davis to take care of."

Jessie squeezed the porcelain hand that still held hers. "That's when he decided that he couldn't break up the group again. He didn't say another word about going home – he just wanted us to be happy. He got sucked into the glory of being a TV star - he could make children happy for years, by just being in that museum. He'd never get old, he'd never be outgrown or thrown away. And he'd be with us, and that would mean I wouldn't – we wouldn't – be in storage again.

"The only crime Woody's committed was finding out that he could love other people too, Bo." She smiled a bit. "And wouldn't you feel just a bit twitchy to just go back home after you've been told you're famous, and people want you?"

Bo sighed and pushed her sheep gently out of the way. "Jessie, that sounds so much better than Woody's version." She was very clearly relieved. She looked off into space, talking more to herself than Jessie.

"He's so passionate about everything; I don't know how he can live like he does. He automatically loves people; sees the best in them. He puts everything he has into making sure that Andy is happy; that we're all taken care of..."

Jessie scooted closer. "Now _that _sounds more like the girl who tackled Woody when he got home!"

Bo blushed. "I shouldn't have done that; I was just so happy to see him again-"

Jessie waved a hand. "Pssh. I think it's sweet."

"I think I want to go find him."

Jessie and Bo helped each other up. "Let's go find that sheriff and string 'im up by his pull string!" Jessie hollered, jumping.

Bo laughed. "Careful, or he'll think we're out for blood."

...

Woody was losing fabulously to Slinky at checkers. He had three little black pieces left, and Slinky had seven kings. Woody sighed and pushed another one of his pieces to its doom.

"Not havin' a very good day, are ya, Woody?" Slinky rasped, bouncing a king over the piece and scooting it off the board with his nose.

"Not at all," Woody said into his hand, frowning at the board. "How come you always have twice as many pieces as me?"

"You start off wrong, Woody. Yeh gotta plan from the start."

"It's checkers, Slink. Not chess."

"Ooh, you are getting' _whalopped_," Jessie said, suddenly appearing and bending down over the board.

Woody grunted.

"If yer finished losin', I brought a friend," Jessie said.

Woody looked up to see Bo standing behind Jessie, looking slightly bashful and thoroughly unhappy behind her crook. Instinct kicked in. "What's wrong?" he asked, getting up and moving towards her. Jessie ducked out of the way, grinning.

Bo looked at Woody and then over at Jessie, a little bit unsure of how to start. Jessie nodded encouragingly. "Jessie told me about everything, Woody."

He frowned. ''I told you already. I didn't lie," he said, shaking his head.

Bo smiled sadly. "No, but you do have the unfortunate talent of telling stories in the wrong order."

"Huh?"

Behind them, Jessie and Slinky scooted away quietly, leaving them alone beside the bed.

"Jessie told me how hard you tried to get home, Woody. She told that you kept refusing to go with them until you found out that you were the only thing that stood between them and a lifetime of sitting in a box. Woody," she stepped a little closer, "You've done time in a box before, you know how awful it is. And you love people so easily; you couldn't let your new friends just be packed away if you were in a position to do something about it."

Woody stared at her. How come all of his mixed-up feelings suddenly made sense when she voiced them?

"You had every right to get excited about going, Woody. You're a TV star," she joked.

Woody felt his insides melting with relief. "I just can't believe I didn't stop to think about what I was giving up," he said quietly.

"That's because you always focus on what you're giving."

He swallowed, wanting to argue. But all that came out was, "I love you so much." A grin was growing on his face. "I've missed you."

Bo nodded eagerly, aching for him to consummate their truce.

Deciding permission to touch her had been reinstated, Woody cupped her cheek in his hand and kissed her. She melted, and he turned his head, slowly working his other hand into the small of her back. Bo's shepherd's crook slipped from her loose fingers and she made a small noise.

From underneath the bed came a low whistle. "Wow, that looks like a mouthful," Slinky snickered.

Jessie laughed and hugged Slinky happily. "It sure does, Slink, it sure does!"

Woody and Bo didn't hear them.


	4. Hot Blooded

_You know the drill - I own nothing! Well, in fact, I do own the DVD of Robin Hood, and absolutely love it, but I can't say it was MY copy of Robin Hood that was used during the making of this chapter... Oh well, all kudos go to Pixar._

Also, a shout-out to X's for eyes and dwcool1 who left me reviews without a login so I couldn't email them. Thanks for reading! And now to continue with our saga:

**Hot Blooded**

_"I'm hot blooded, check it and see_

_I got a fever of a hundred and three..."_

_-Foreigner, Hot Blooded_

"Mom, I don't _feel_ good," Andy moaned yet again, rolling over in his sleeping bag and crushing Woody under his burning-hot body.

His mother's face appeared above the make-shift tent in front of the TV where Andy had taken up residence that morning. She had hoped that letting him stay home from school and watch movies with his toys would help him feel better while he got over his flu, but it wasn't seeming to do much good.

At 10:30 this morning Andy's temperature had been 99.6, and so she had set up the fan next to her son's tent. At 12:45 Andy hadn't touched the cereal or toast she had brought him, and said his throat 'hurt too bad.' It was past 3:00 in the afternoon now, and if Woody was any judge of Andy's body temperature, the boy's fever had to be over 101.

"That Tylenol should have helped, honey," his mom said as she knelt down and popped the thermometer into Andy's mouth. "Don't chew on it; keep it under your tongue." She paused his movie.

"It makes me gag," Andy protested, clenching his teeth around the thermometer.

"Just for a minute, sweetie. Okay.. all right, let me see." She pulled the thermometer away and held it up to the light. Inside the sleeping bag, Woody prayed that mom would take Andy to the doctor. Quite apart from not liking to feel like he was being roasted alive, he didn't like seeing Andy under the weather. It was slightly parental of him, he mused.

"Ooh. Okay, you're at 103.4... Let's get you upstairs and put some shoes on you and get Molly up. I'm taking you to the doctor."

Andy accepted the hand from his mom. "Can I bring Woody?" he croaked, dragging the cowboy doll with him.

"No, I can't keep track of him right now. Let's go get your shoes."

Reluctantly, Andy tucked Woody back into the burning-hot bag and followed his mother up the stairs. Moments later, Andy moaning, Molly crying, and mom issuing orders, the family left.

The second the door shut, Woody sat up and clawed his way out, gasping for air. He tumbled onto the cool floor and lay with his face down on the blessedly fan-cooled carpet.

"A little too hot in there for you, cowboy?" Buzz asked, pressing the button to snap his helmet down. "I was thinking it was a little too cool, myself."

"Someone athletic turn that fan off," Bo shivered, coming over from where she had been placed in front of the fan. Obligingly, Jessie and Bullseye catapulted themselves across the floor and deal with the fan. A second later, the din from the fan motor ceased.

"It's gotta be nearly 60 degrees in here," Slinky barked, shaking himself. "Too plum cold for this dog. Move over Woody, I want into that sleeping bag."

With a rumble of agreement, Rex, Hamm, and Mr. Potato Head joined Slinky in the bag.

"Now that's more like it," Hamm sighed contentedly.

Woody raised himself slowly from the floor. "You try sitting in there for five hours with a kid who's running a fever!" He dusted himself off and adjusted his badge. "He had one last night, too. I feel like I'm baking."

Bo slinked her arms around him and rested her head on his back. "You _are _warm. It feels good..."

Woody turned around in her arms. "Ooh! Oh, you're nice and cold." He hugged her appreciatively.

"The perfect couple," Jessie winked, wandering past and un-pausing the movie. "I've never seen Robin Hood; do ya reckon' they'll mind?"

Buzz jerked his head toward the sleeping bag and he and Jessie sat down on the warm fabric. "Andy never remembers when we un-pause his movies."

As Lady Cluck and Maid Marian resumed their badminton game, Woody pulled Bo over to a vacant section of the sleeping bag and sat down with his back against it. Bo settled herself against him, her head on his chest. "I'm tired," Woody yawned.

"Go to sleep, honey," Bo soothed, taking his hand.

"Andy's been asleep most of the day, why didn't you take a nap?" Potato Head demanded.

"Like I said, you try sleeping with someone who's that hot," snipped Woody.

"I'll try it," Bo murmured quietly enough that only Woody heard. He gulped, somehow hotter than he had been in the sleeping bag.

"Too bad mom didn't make any popcorn," Hamm said, the quarters in his belly rattling.

Rex shuddered. ''Andy always makes me pretend to eat it, and the kernels get stuck in my teeth. I mean, that can't be healthy for my dentition, now can it?"

Woody smiled at Rex's comment and settled further back into the sleeping bag. "I'm glad mom took Andy to the doctor. I hate it when he's sick," he told Bo.

Bo absently fixed the folds of her skirt. "At least it wasn't stomach flu. When he was five he nearly threw up on you."

Woody shuddered. "You know, I actually crawled up under the pillow so I could jump off the bed if I needed to."

Bo laughed. "Is that what you did? I always wondered how you got out of there so fast."

"Yeah..." He paused for a moment, pulling his hat down lower to keep the light from the TV out. "One of the most embarrassing moments of my life."

"What?" Bo laughed, looking up at Woody.

"Oh you know..." Woody felt a blush rising on his face. "I was trying to impress you all the time, and... Oh man, I must have looked like such an idiot; running across the floor while he was in the bathroom, tripping over that crayon and smacking my head into the nightstand!"

Bo grinned up at Woody and poked his chest. "I remember! I heard someone running and suddenly my nightstand was shaking and you were lying on the floor moaning."

"And when I tried to get up I tripped on the crayon again." Woody finished reminiscently, nodding his head at the recollection. "I just kept thinking, 'She thinks I'm a complete dope. What kind of guy trips on a crayon? Twice? Nope, she is _never_ going to look at me again without laughing.'"

Bo laughed out loud and Buzz cast a knowing grin back at them.

"Oh Woody, I _did_ laugh at you all the next day," Bo giggled, smiling fondly at him. "You looked ridiculous, lying down there on the floor."

"Yeah, I wasn't like you. I'm always crashing into things, and I'd always get flustered when you were around and it just made it worse. You though," he grinned at her and straightened his legs, "you were always cool as a cucumber."

Bo shrugged and looked back at the TV. "What can I say? I knew what I wanted."

Woody smiled happily and scrunched further back into the sleeping bag, pulling Bo with him.

When Buzz glanced back again a few minutes later, he saw Woody and Bo fast asleep, their heads together.

..

My Woody doll and I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading, and as always - please review! :)

-Boxy


	5. Gravity

_Due to mitigating circumstances: night classes, camping trips, the unfortunate alignment of Venus and the sun, and a new puppy in the house, I won't be able to upload this Friday. SO – you get the next chapter today. :) Also, just FYI, this story is completely finished (sans some minor editing to the final two chapters) and I am uploading it serially. So, any resemblance to any other Toy Story fanfics on the market currently is strictly a figment of your imagination. _

_What goes up, must come down. Which isn't good if you're breakable._

_GRAVITY_

"Can I borrow a toy?" Molly asked cautiously, the tow-headed five-year-old peering around the door.

Andy looked up from his bed where he had several army men scattered across his history and math books. Playing army men was much more fun than simply doing the homework. "What one?" he asked, sighing. Molly was forever asking to borrow his toys. "You know you can't have Woody or Buzz-"

"Or Jane, or the horse, or Slinky, or-"

"Fine – just hurry," Andy huffed, turning back to his map of America. He slid a few of his army men down towards Mexico.

Delighted with her luck, Molly scampered to the toy box and pushed the lid up. She rummaged for several seconds.

"Hurry up," Andy frowned at her from the bed. He didn't like other people in his room when he was playing. He was becoming aware of the fact that most of his friends played basketball or video games after school. He didn't want any witnesses who might accidentally tell his friends that he'd still rather play with his toys.

"Can I use Rex?' Molly asked finally, holding the green dinosaur above her head.

"Fine."

Before Andy could change his mind, Molly turned and fled the room, Rex held tightly in her small hands. "He's going to eat you!" she cried as she ran.

Andy rolled his eyes and moved the army men towards New York. He was supposed to be memorizing the state's capitals. "Albany, New York; Trenton, New Jersey; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania..." With each successive state he moved the army men to the general location. In the eastern states, he couldn't quite make them stand right on the capitals, but further west he could. For several more minutes he did this, sometimes checking the map in his history book to make sure he had the capital right.

From Molly's room, he heard a wicked cackle. "That's right, now when she falls, she'll be eaten by the dinosaur!"

Andy's stomach growled. He looked up at the clock. Mom said he could have a 15 minute break after he had finished his social studies. Pretending that he could remember all 50 capitals already, he rolled off the bed. "See you in a bit, guys," he called and ran out the door, nearly bowling into his little sister as she ran out of her room.

"I can smell cookies!" Molly shouted, and she and Andy raced each other down the stairs.

In Andy's room, Woody and Buzz sat up on the dresser and looked down at the army men. "Having fun playing Risk?" Buzz called down to them.

The Sarge let out a barking laugh. "Affirmative, sir! Always a pleasure to help Andy with his homework!"

Buzz laughed and stood up. "Cookies, huh?"

"We've got at least 15 minutes," Woody grinned, getting to his feet.

"Woody! Buzz! Help!"

Woody looked towards the door to see Rex running as fast as he could, his tiny arms flailing in the air as he came rushing through the door. "Calm down, Rex," he called. "What's the problem?"

Rex danced on the spot. "It's Bo! Molly's got her tied up to the fan with only a shoelace!" His voice cracked. "And it's coming untied!"

Woody catapulted himself off the dresser and ran as fast as he could after Rex's retreating form. The other toys followed. Rex paused at the doorway out of instinct to make sure no one was in the hallway, but Woody pushed right past him and skidded into Molly's room.

The 'Cereal Box' gang was huddled beneath the ceiling fan, evidently hoping to catch Bo when she fell. Bo was tied by her waist to the middle of the fan with a hot pink shoelace. She was holding onto the shoelace with both hands and looking up, disbelief written all over her face. Evidently, despite the use of a kitchen chair and several thick books, Molly had been unable to to tie the top of the shoelace very securely. Even as Woody started running again, the bow came undone.

"Move!" Woody shouted angrily.

Bo screamed. He had no idea if he was actually going to make it.

And then somehow, he caught her. Her extra weight knocked him onto his knees, and then onto his face, but he had slowed down her rate of impact enough that she wasn't broken.

Beneath him in his arms, Bo went limp and whimpered. Woody's adrenaline failed him and he collapsed on top of her, his eyes closed. _Too close, that was just too close..._

And then Buzz was pulling him up; Jessie and Mrs. Potato Head were helping Bo up. He held onto Buzz and looked to make sure Bo really was all right.

She was unscathed. Shaken, but un-hurt. Jessie picked Bo's bonnet up off the floor and held it out to her. "It's a good thing Woody's fast," she muttered, her eyes rounder than usual.

Bo just nodded, still reeling a little bit.

"Guys, they're comin'," Slink hollered from the doorway, then turned tail and ran back to Andy's room.

The toys split. Buzz grabbed Woody's arm and pulled. "Let's go, cowboy."

Woody shook him off. "Nu-uh. I'm staying right here."

"Woody-" he gestured helplessly to Andy's room. Andy would realize he was gone. Good.

"Just go, Buzz."

Buzz took a deep breath and sprinted for the door.

Woody grabbed Bo around the waist. "Freeze," he told her, pulling her to the ground where she had fallen.

"Woody?"

"Just-"

Then they both froze as Molly pushed open her door, and closed it again holding a very sticky cookie in her hand. "Rex is gonna eat you," she said happily, then saw Bo lying on the floor, Woody beneath her. Bo had fallen. And Woody hadn't been in her room.

She dropped the cookie and ran over to the toys. "You fell! You weren't 'sposed to fall yet!"

At that moment, Andy threw the door open. "Where's Woody? You _know _you're not allowed to play with him!"

And then Andy spotted Woody and Bo. He saw the shoelace, and looked up at the ceiling fan. He leveled a glare at his little sister. "You _didn't_."

Molly bit her lip. "You used to," she whispered.

"I tied a _knot_. You can't tie knots yet. _And_, I never hung her! She's breakable, Molly!"

Molly burst into tears. "How come you always get to play with her! She's mine!"

"Then you need to treat her nice!" Andy shouted over the ruckus.

Woody could hear mom's footsteps on the stairs.

Andy darted over to the scene and snatched Woody and Bo from the ground. "You're just lucky she landed on Woody. If she hadn't, she'd have broken!"

"I didn't _take _Woody!"

Mom entered the room and leaned sternly against the doorframe. "What's going on? Andy, I thought you were doing your homework."

Andy pointed at Molly. "She took Woody without asking, and she strung Bo up from the fan!"

"I didn't take Woody!" Molly hollered again, her face red with rage.

"Then why is he in here!" Andy shouted back, brandishing the cowboy doll at her.

Mom strode into the midst of the argument and took Woody and Bo from Andy's hands. He looked up at her. "But mom!"

"Andy, go finish your homework. Molly, you _know _you're not supposed to touch Woody. And if I find out you've been mistreating Bo again, Molly... You know grandma bought her for you when you."

Molly pouted. "Sorry!"

Mom sighed. "That's not how you say sorry, Molly. '

"I won't say it! I won't!" Molly shouted and jumped up onto her bed, diving beneath the pillows.

"All right, but you're going to sit in your room until you can tell Andy nicely that you're sorry for taking Woody. And I'm going to hold onto Bo for a few days."

Molly wailed from beneath her pillows, and mom turned on her heel and closed the bedroom door behind her. Andy was waiting at his doorway. "Can you put Bo in here?" he asked, holding his hands out for Woody.

"No, I'm going to put her in my room for a few days, Andy. And just so you know, young man, you're not off the hook either. You know better than to shout at Molly, even if she did take Woody. I'll put him in my room, and you can have him back after dinner if you apologize to Molly."

Andy gulped like a fish and felt tears threaten his eyes. "But I want Woody back!"

"After dinner, Andy. Now go finish your homework."

Mom turned and walked down the hallway to her bedroom and deposited the two toys on a shelf above her dressing table. She smiled at the pair of them. "I swear you two cause just as much trouble as the kids do. You're always getting lost or they're fighting over who gets to play with you." Mom shook her head and left the room, closing the door firmly behind her.

On the shelf, Woody stood up next to Bo. "Are you all right?" he asked, his blood pressure back to normal now.

She hugged him. "Yes. Thank you."

He hugged her back. "Don't mention it. I'm just glad I was there."

"I was so sure I was going to fall before Molly left; I almost moved, but she kept looking up at me." Bo moved to the edge of the shelf and breathed deeply.

Woody took her hand. "Hey, it's all over now."

She looked back at him with a sudden, sunny smile, and laughed. "And look at what you've done! Now I'm stuck in here until mom decides to give me back to Molly."

"Who _won't _be letting you bungee jump off the fan again," Woody grinned.

Bo just laughed.

"And that means I'll get you to myself for a few days, huh?" he added.

Bo put a hand on her hip. "Is _that _what all that 'freeze' talk was about?" She put a couple of fingers under his chin. "If that's all you wanted, you only had to ask," she murmured, walking her fingers around his neck.

Woody felt his legs turn into jelly and his stomach swoop.

_S_he was _far _too good at this...

...

All right gang – the next chapter is the one you're all dreading. I think it only fair to warn you. ;)


	6. Chapter 6

_Ye be warned: from here on out: Toy Story 3 SPOILERS! Proceed accordingly: tissues, handkerchiefs, and large amounts of chocolate may be required. On a more upbeat note, when my brothers and I went to watch the Persieds meteor shower this year, Woody came. :) And now-_

_**The KT-Boundary, or the End of the World as We Know it.**_

"Well ain't we just plum lucky, Bullseye? A meteor shower _and _Andy's on a camping trip!"

"It's going to be lots of fun," Buzz grinned rather nervously, holding out hand to help Jessie onto the desk.

"I don't know," Rex fretted above him. "After all, the current paleontological theory is that dinosaur extinction at the KT-Boundary was caused by a giant meteor striking the Mesoamerican peninsula."

Jessie frowned as Buzz pulled her up. "The what, Rex?"

"I'm a dinosaur, don't you get it?" Rex waved his tiny arms. "Maybe I should stay inside tonight."

"You know Rex, not all dinosaurs were alive 165 million years ago," Hamm informed Rex knowingly. "However, the Tyranosaurus Rex _was _one of the dinosaurs of the Upper Cretaceous, so maybe you should stay inside."

Rex whimpered.

"Ah calm down," Potato Head huffed, heading for the window. "It's just a meteor shower, not the end of the world as we know it."

On the window sill, Woody and Buzz leaned down and pulled up the window and hot, fragrant August night air flooded the room.

Jessie stuck her head out the window. "Listen! You can hear the crickets!" She yanked on Buzz's arm and pulled him down. "Hearken to that sound!"

Buzz chuckled and gulped. "I'm...I'm hearkening."

"All right, everybody up who's going," Woody said. "You ready, Slink?"

"Ready, Woody," the faithful dog informed him. Woody nodded and held onto Slinky's tail while the dog launched himself out of the window, allowing himself to uncoil and fall towards the house. As he made contact with the siding, Slinky pushed off hard and sailed straight over Andy's bedroom window and into the gutter. "Okay!" he hollered.

"Good job, Slink," Woody called. "Let's go, gang."

Jessie eagerly clambered out the window and up Slinky to the roof, followed by Buzz and Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head. Hamm, Rex, the aliens, and Bullseye hopped out and onto the the low roof pitch just outside Andy's window.

"I'm letting go now, Slink," Woody called and released the dog's tail, which zoomed out of sight above him. As he turned and let himself off the desk, he heard Hamm muttering to Rex about something and frowned.

Every August for the past ten years he had ignored Hamm and Potato Head's snide remarks about not letting Bo go up on the roof to watch the meteor shower. He hadn't done any such thing. Bo had simply pointed out the first year that she didn't think it was very safe for someone made of porcelain to be climbing around on a roof. Woody didn't have any objections to this logic, but some of the guys thought Bo's absence was attributed to her cowboy's over- protectiveness.

"I'd like to see Potato Head's reaction if _his_ Missus decided to wander across a busy street with a cone over her head," Woody muttered, heading for the bedroom door.

"What about a cone?" Bo's voice asked.

Woody pulled up short to see Bo standing a few inches from him, leaning on her shepherd's crook. "Um...a...nothin'. Just the usual 'Woody won't let Bo go up on the roof,' kind of talk." He shrugged, trying a smile.

Bo looked at him ponderously for a moment. "Then I think we should set the record straight," she said firmly, and walked past him to the desk.

"Bo- what? What're you doing? It doesn't matter-"

Bo stopped and turned on her heel, causing Woody to collide with her. She hooked his neck to stop his fall. "I think I'll do it this year, Woody."

"What?" Woody rubbed the back of his neck and stared at her incredulously. "You've gotta be kidding! Ten years of telling me you were perfectly happy to watch them from Molly's window, and now you're saying-"

He found himself cut off by Bo's finger on his lips. Again, the ponderous look, and then she said softly, "Ten years, Woody? Nearly ten years to the day Andy's father died. We've known each other for a long time. Let's celebrate and watch the meteor shower with everyone else."

Woody was thoroughly confused. She wanted to celebrate _their_ relationship of ten years by spending the night with everyone else? "O – Okay?"

Bo smiled and Woody stepped around her to lift her up onto the chair and then onto the desk. From outside the window, they could hear the occasional gasp of delight as someone in the group spotted a meteor.

"You're sure about this?" Woody whispered to her.

She smiled firmly. "Positive. I want to do this."

"Oh-kay. Hey Slinky! Can you do a couple more?"

"I'm comin' Woody," Slinky's voice floated down to them.

Woody grabbed Slinky's tail on the sill and looked quizzically at Bo. "Maybe you'd better hold on to me just in case." He was trying very hard to bite back the yell that she _really _shouldn't be doing this.

"I'll hold onto you." Bo climbed onto his back and clasped her hands in front of his neck.

Woody craned his neck around to grin at her. "Ready, Jane?" he teased.

"I'm ready, Tarzan," she winked.

Woody took a deep breath and climbed smoothly and quickly up Slink and onto the roof, then pulled Bo far away from the edge.

"Calm down, I'm not going to jump," Bo chided, smiling at Jessie who was waving at her ecstatically, dangling her feet over the gutter. "And I'm not going to sit by Jessie."

"Good."

"Well, well. Look who decided to grace us with her presence this year," Potato Head called, waving an arm.

"Oh, I'm glad you could come," Mrs. Potato Head called hoarsely. "It's really quite beautiful."

Bo smiled and pulled Woody slowly up to the top of the pitch. "How about here?" she asked, sitting down.

All the other toys were enjoying a little dangerous living, dangling their legs off the sides of the roof. Woody definitely preferred it here, and laid down and stretched out next to Bo, his hands clasped behind his head. As always, the crickets were chirping, the air was soft, and the meteors incredible. It was a made-to-order date.

"You can see so many more of them," Bo said quietly a few minutes later. "I should have gotten up here sooner."

Woody smiled. "Don't push your luck. I almost didn't let you come."

Bo poked his arm. "I'd have done it anyway."

"I know. That's why I didn't say anything. I know enough to keep on your good side, Bo." He smiled up at her.

"Is that it, cowboy?" she whispered, reaching down to touch his chin. "You're always on my good side."

Woody took her hand and sat up. "What's wrong, Bo?"

She didn't answer, but looked determinedly at the sky, watching the meteors. Woody pushed away the fact that other people were there and took her face in his hands. "Really, Bo. What's the matter?" he asked quietly.

Bo leaned forward and gently pulled Woody's hat off and kissed him. "Time's up, Woody," she whispered, her mouth still against his. "When Mrs. Patterson comes tomorrow morning, she's not just coming to feed Buster. There's a yard sale box in Molly's room."

Woody stared at her, stunned. Time was up? Now? His shock quickly gave way to panic; he wanted to shout and cry and be hysterical. But - as he continued to look into those sad blue eyes, a peculiar peace settled over him. They'd already made this decision. And for her, he could be brave for a little while.

He nodded slowly. This must have been what Wayne and Julie had gone through. One of them was leaving, and they weren't coming back. "How long have you known?"

"All week."

"Is that why you've been so...affectionate?"

She smiled sadly. "Yes. Mrs. Patterson agreed to take a box of things to the Miller's moving sale tomorrow. I was one of the first things Molly put in the box. I thought something like this would happen soon." She sighed and set Woody's hat on the ground next to them. "At least I'll always know where you are. You'll be wherever Andy is."

Woody nodded again. "For as long as he needs me, I guess." It was a tough call, whether he cared more about Andy or Bo, but at the moment, Andy was a far second. "Dang it..."

Bo rested her forehead against his. "I wanted to watch the meteor shower with you. You can wish on shooting stars, you know."

Woody swallowed and eased her down onto the roof, her head on his shoulder. "I've got everything I could wish for," he murmured, kissing her cheek.

"Until tomorrow."

"I'll worry about tomorrow when it gets here," he mumbled, thoroughly engrossed.

"They're watching," Bo reminded him quietly.

"I can't say I care."

Not wanting to cause _too _much of scene, Bo tried a distraction and pointed at one of the meteors. "I wish... that you will always have the rest of your friends with you, Woody," she whispered.

He sighed and pulled away. After a moment, he pointed at a meteor. "I wish that you will have a good new owner."

Bo smiled mischievously. "I wish that I will be sold for lots of money."

Woody chuckled. "And I wish that Andy will go to an Ivy League college on the royalties."

"I wish that Andy will take all of you to college with him so you can terrorize him into doing his homework."

"I wish that Andy would throw away his homework from last year so I don't have to sleep on it anymore."

Bo laughed. "I wish that Buster would eat his homework... and that he won't ever steal your hat again."

"That's nice of you, Bo," Woody said sarcastically.

Bo poked Woody's side and sat up to look down at him. "It's the least I can do, Woody," she winked. She tickled him and he yelped, sitting up and scooting away from her.

"Hey, no fair."

She inched up to him. "Rules don't apply tonight, cowboy," she said deviously.

"Hey! Would you two be quiet up there?" demanded Mr. Potato Head.

Bo raised an eyebrow. "He's touchy."

Woody looked down at Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head. "He's jealous."

...

Hours later, the toys had all left the roof. Woody had Bo locked in his arms, watching the sunrise. It was going to be a hard day for them.

A car drove past on the street below. Bo stirred slightly in his arms. "We should get inside, Woody. Mrs. Patterson comes early." It was true. Mrs. Patterson jogged past every morning at 6:45 like clockwork and fed Buster.

Woody didn't want to move. He felt as frozen as if a human were in the room; he simply couldn't budge. "Five more minutes," he whispered. The control he had exercised all night in not giving into his panic was running low.

"Woody?" Buzz's voice called from below him. "It's 6:30!"

"Does he know?" Woody asked, looking at Bo, who was clutching him very tightly despite her warning that it was getting late.

"I didn't tell him."

"He probably knows," Woody sighed. "I _really _don't want to get up, sweetheart."

Bo was shaking her head. "I shouldn't have told you. I should have just-"

"Bo, I'm glad you told me!" Woody jerked upright, holding her. "It'll...it'll make it easier later. Thank you for telling me."

"We haven't wasted our time, have we?" she asked faintly.

"Not a second of it," he answered firmly.

She nodded and reached behind them and replaced Woody's hat on his head. "It makes you look tough," she whispered.

_Ouch. _ Mentally, Woody pulled himself together. _Make this easier for her; she's going to need you._

Woody pulled Bo to her feet and walked over to the gutter. "Hey Slink?"

Without a word, Slink appeared at their feet, holding onto the gutter. Bo climbed onto Woody's back again and Woody climbed down. He shut the window behind them.

"Bo..." Jessie appeared from nowhere and quietly hugged Bo tightly.

Woody's mouth twitched. "So they all know, then?" he asked Buzz, who was standing next to him.

Buzz just nodded and clapped a hand on Woody's back. Woody took a deep breath and straightened like a condemned soldier, then stepped forward and offered Bo his arm. She took it and he led her over to the edge of the desk and hopped down into the chair, holding his arms up to catch her. Above him there was a general murmur of farewell before Bo dropped into his arms.

With every step they took across Andy's room and across the hallway Woody felt as though there were magnets on his boots and the floor was metal. Somehow, he managed to keep his back straight and his face expressionless.

In the hallway he kissed her one last time. There was none of her usual control in the kiss; she was completely submissive. She inhaled swiftly and he felt her chest rise against him as he kissed the sweet spot under the left side of her chin.

The door to Molly's room was ajar, and there, on its side on the floor, was the box marked 'YARD SALE.' Woody felt Bo shudder in his arms. Downstairs, the kitchen door opened and Buster barked. This really was it.

Bo let go of his arm, and Woody took her hand and helped her up onto her lamp. Her sheep bleated quietly at her arrival. She turned to face him, a sad smile the best she could do. With his heart aching, Woody pulled his hat from his head, took her hand, and knelt on one knee before her.

"Thank you, Bo, for everything. You have... You have made these years shine for me, Bo, you really have."

"I'd do it again, Woody," she whispered. "I love you so much-"

Buster's footsteps started scampering up the stairs below them. A heavy creak followed. Mrs. Patterson was coming.

Bo choked on a sob. Woody bowed his head for a second, steeling himself. Like a knight of yore, he kissed the white hand he held so dear, then stood. "It has been an honor." He breathed. "I love you."

The footsteps were in the hall. He gave her hand one final squeeze. "Be brave, sweetheart," he whispered, and left, diving under the bed just as the door swung open.

Mrs. Patterson, bleach blond hair and immaculate running clothes all in place, righted the box, keeping Bo from Woody's view, picked it up, and left.

Buster sniffed the air, looked at Woody, and whimpered. "I know, pal. I know," Woody whispered.

Buster shuffled over to him and nuzzled him, practically knocking him over. There was silence in the room for a few moments, and then Woody heard the kitchen door close. The dam that had been holding Woody in since last night broke. He threw himself against Buster to muffle the sound and screamed.

*pulls out her box of tissues* I'm sorry...it had to be done! However, this is NOT the last chapter! So saddle up for an angsty ride, and lets get this wagon train a-movin!


	7. Tomorrow You May be in Utah

_'When we last left our intrepid toys, two lovers had been cruelly torn apart-" AHEM. Enough with the 50's radio announcer voice, already! Okay, so from here on out, most of this is going to be coming from the slightly distracted corners of my imagination, but I hope that doesn't detract from the character's voices. Away we go!_

**Tomorrow You May be in Utah**

-August, 2004-

_"I wanna be the only one, for miles and miles, except for maybe you and your simple smile..."_

Sappy Dixie Chicks songs were _not_ what Bo wanted to hear at that moment. The Miller's, however, who were hosting the multi-family yard/moving sale, had every CD the Dixie Chicks had ever made.

It was nearing 11:30, and the early-morning rush of religious yard sale shoppers had ebbed with the heat. Stragglers wandered through, looking at the picked-over stock. Men picked up randomly discarded tools; women sorted through moth-eaten purses; children clawed through the pile of toys lying on a blanket in the grass.

Bo had been set on a folding table with a rather hideous silk flower arrangement and a stack of chipped china dishes that had definitely seen better days. As disgusting as the flowers were, they at least afforded her some shade from the mid-day sun.

Earlier that morning a few people had picked her up and looked at her. A couple of young girls had snatched her up and jumped up and down, begging their harassed-looking mother to buy her for them. After a few seconds of unadulterated terror at being dropped from their small hands, their mother had sternly taken her and set her back on her lamp and escorted her daughters away. Later an elderly woman had touched her bonnet and smiled at her. Bo had thought for a moment that a little old lady might be a nice owner, but the woman had changed her mind and shuffled away to look over a stand full of walking sticks. After that, a stout woman with two inch false nails in a tank top and short shorts had picked her up and manhandled her for about a minute. At the moment when she was certain she and her sheep was doomed to spend the rest of their days in a smoky, tacky, cluttered house, the woman's cell phone went off. The woman had laid her back down next to her lamp, and huffing, extracted a pink cell phone from her purse and left, arguing loudly with whoever was on the other end. With no one else in sight, she had let a small whimper escape her as she climbed back onto her lamp and touched her sheep's heads. This was awful. She had never wanted Woody so badly in her life.

_Just hold on, _she told herself, sternly forcing herself to remain inanimate. Perhaps if she wasn't sold, Mrs. Miller would take her back to Andy's house. The hope kindled hot inside of her, and she indulged in imagining what Woody would do if she suddenly walked back into the bedroom tonight. He'd stare for a few seconds, and then she'd be in his arms, being spun around and listening to him laugh. And then-

"I just want to look around for a few minutes, Ellie," a woman's voice said somewhere behind her. "I wanted to see if there are any shot glasses."

"'Kay," said Ellie, who wandered into view as she spoke. "I'll just be over here."

Ellie was a young teenager who looked like she was about fourteen. She had short dark hair and a few freckles across a sun-tanned face. She thumbed through the few bags that were left on a table across from Bo, and then began examining the costume jewelry that had been piled into an old cookie tin. Occasionally she would pick something up and hold it to the light, then set it back down. She looked towards her mom and readjusted her pony tail. And then she saw Bo.

There was a smile on her face as she walked over to the lamp and gently pushed the flowers out of the way. "Mary Had a Little Lamb," she whispered happily and experimentally flicked a fingernail lightly at the lamp's lightbulb. She squatted down and carefully pulled Bo off the lampstand. "Well aren't you cute?" she asked, smiling.

Ellie's mother appeared at her side. She had a kind face. "What're you looking at?"

Ellie stood up and hold Bo out. "Wouldn't she look cute in Sarah's nursery?" she enthused.

The mom smiled and took Bo. "She would! Is she broken or anything?"

Ellie shook her head. "Not that I could see-" She picked up the lamp and examined it carefully. "Nope. And she comes with sheep!"

Her mom laughed. "How much is she? Did you bring your purse?"

"It's in the car. I didn't see a sticker on her."

Mrs. Miller, sensing interest, appeared magically on the spot. "Find anything, ladies?"

"How much is she?" Ellie asked, taking Bo back from her mother and adjusting her bonnet.

"Ooh…I don't know. I think she came in with one of the boxes a friend dropped off. People gettin' rid of stuff." She shrugged. "How does $5 sound?"

Ellie nodded. "Good. I'll go get my purse. Would you hold her, mom?"

Ellie's mother took Bo and firmly placed her back onto the lamp. "It's for my older daughter; she's having her first girl next month."

"Oh, that's nice! Yes, she'll look cute in a little girl's nursery!" Mrs. Miller agreed.

Ellie reappeared a few moments later and handed Mrs. Miller some money. Then she carefully picked up the lamp and she and her mom made their way back to the car.

"Did you find any shot glasses?" Ellie asked conversationally as her mom opened the car's back door. Ellie pulled Bo off the lamp and set it carefully on the car's floor. "I'll hold her."

Ellie's mom laughed. "Don't want her to break! Nah, there were some Utah ones, but I swear those all say the same thing."

"Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may be in Utah!" the two of them chorused as the climbed in the car.

Ellie held Bo on her lap and played with her dress and bonnet as they drove. The car radio was playing a Beatles song. Ellie's mom was singing along pleasantly. The trip wasn't long, and ten minutes later, Ellie was carrying her up the front steps of a snug-looking house with a vinyl fence.

Ellie's bedroom was a bit small and sparsely furnished, but the walls were covered in randomly placed snapshots of smiling friends and happy families. Bo sadly relinquished her fantasy of being reunited with Woody, and at the same time felt a certain dread that this was _far _too good to be possible. For a while, at least, she wouldn't be too far away from Woody, and this Ellie was a sweet girl. And later – a baby? Woody had always teased her about how much she loved babies.

I_ just couldn't have it this easy, could I? _Bo marveled as Ellie set her on the dresser and said "Bye!" gaily before skipping out of the room.

As she heard the front door shut again and the car drive away, the little Shangri La abruptly became real.

"Hey there, Doll."

The syrupy male voice behind her made Bo turn. There were four Combat Carls ogling salaciously at her.

They elbowed each other excitedly. "And we thought Ellie's days of dolls and Barbies were gone," one crooned with a crooked grin on his face. "Lucky us."

Bo rolled her crook through her fingers and felt her chest tighten. She might _look_ wimpy, but she had reflexes just as good as Jessie's. "Yes. Lucky you," she murmured, staring them down.

...

Ellie had been staring off into space for nearly fifteen minutes. Behind her on the dresser, Bo shifted slightly, hoping to catch a glimpse of her new owner's face. As far as Bo could tell, it was completely unlike Ellie to be still for such a length of time without a novel or the TV on. In fact, a _Harry Potter _book was lying on top of her school bag, a bookmark sticking out from the pages. Just yesterday Ellie had been voraciously devouring it until nearly one a.m.

With a jolt, Ellie pushed up off the bed where she had been sitting dejectedly and spun around once. Her eyes were red, and a few tears had streaked down her face. She rolled up the sleeves on her button up shirt and walked over to the mirror. Cleaning the streaked mascara from below her eyes, she muttered, "It's not real. It's just not."

She stood again for several minutes, staring into the mirror past her reflection. At length, Bo's face behind her in the mirror distracted her. Ellie turned and walked over, and flopped down on her bed, facing the low dresser where Bo and her lamp were.

"Sorry, Mary," Ellie sighed softly. "Sarah lost the baby... I guess you won't be going to live with Olivia after all."

Their eyes met, and Ellie looked hard at the doll. It seemed silly, part of her thought, to explain to Mary why she was going to be living on her dresser and not on baby Olivia's, but at the same time, another part of her felt that expressing her feelings to something -even just a doll- would make her feel better. And it wasn't like anyone was home to hear her anyway.

She rolled over the bed and stood up in front of Bo, then reached out and gently traced the doll's face. "My older sister, Sarah, was going to have her first girl in a couple of weeks. That's who I bought you for. I was so excited to get a little niece!" She paused again for a moment, her pragmatism warring with her emotions. Finally, Ellie plucked Bo from the base of the pink lamp and she propped her up on the pillows of her bed then rolled back onto her stomach on the bed.

"Anyway Mary, when I saw you at the garage sale, I remembered that Sarah was doing Olivia's nursery in a nursery rhyme theme, and I thought that it would be cute for her to have Mary and her Lamb...s... Wait." Ellie frowned and looked over at the dresser where the _three_ tell-tale sheep were standing. "Mary had _a _ little lamb. Who had a whole flock...? I can't remember." Ellie shook her head and smiled dolefully at Bo. "I hope you don't mind me calling you Mary then, because I can't seem to remember your nursery rhyme." She reached out and straightened the doll's skirt.

"But Mike, Sarah's husband, just called me and told me that Sarah had lost the baby; they're not sure why yet." Tears threatened Ellie's eyes, but she blinked them back. "I guess this means I have to go to the memorial on Saturday... I can't believe it!" she exploded, kicking her feet into the mattress angrily. "You hear about these things happening, but you never think it's going to be you. They had her named already and everything..."

Ellie lapsed into silence again, this time staring out the window at the setting sun. Even though it was ridiculously early to go to bed, the best remedy for pain that she could think of at that moment was sleep. She got off the bed and pulled the curtains shut and switched on the new pink lamp on her dresser.

"I have that floor lamp, Mary, but I think tonight I'll use yours if you don't mind. I think you should know," Ellie said as she rummaged through her drawers searching for a clean pair of shorts, "that I talk to myself a lot. I don't really have anyone to talk to; no hamster or anything; so I just talk to myself. I hope you're all right with that. Mom and dad are usually at work until pretty late, and Zack is always sleeping over at Aaron's house, so it's just us." She pulled a t-shirt over her head and ran a hand through her dark hair.

"It'll be nice to have something with a face that I can talk to besides the mirror. I'm probably a little too old for a Mary-had-a-little-lamb-or-whatever-your-name-is doll, but I think that I'll make an exception in your case." Ellie winked and climbed onto the bed. She lifted Bo up and climbed under the covers before propping Bo up on her knees and looking at her. "I used to have Barbie dolls and stuff, but my brother would pop their heads off."

She looked around the room for a long time before turning her attention back to Bo. "I like to sew, you know. I used to make clothes for my Barbies, but after a while I just gave up because they were all headless. I was so mad at Zack; I think I took all his boxers and hid them in the video cabinet. " Ellie smiled at the recollection. "He was so embarrassed; his friends were over to play video games and they all found them."

Eliie adjusted Bo's bonnet. "You're a little bit taller than Barbies are, but I think if I took your measurements we could get you a nice wardrobe going. You see, I want to design formalwear when I grow up, so I could practice on you. I have this sketch of a really hot James Bond-style black dress. If we can take your bonnet off..." Ellie pursed her lips and toyed with Bo's bonnet, ascertaining that it would, in fact, come off. "Yeah. You'll look good in that. And then I have a couple of prom dresses, and I have a thing for old saloon girl dresses; you know, like in John Wayne films? I'd like to try those."

It wasn't like being played with, exactly, Bo thought as Ellie continued to chatter on, but it wasn't half bad. Bo desperately hoped that this talking _to _her phase was not going to pass quickly. If she couldn't be with Woody (and the gaping hole in her heart was getting bigger, not smaller), and she wasn't going to live with a baby girl, then if she was going to survive the obnoxious Combat Carls who lived in Zack's room, she needed all the stimulating conversation she could get.

...

_This chapter is dedicated to my hamster, Watson, who died on Sept. 20. He was my little buddy to talk to and listen to all my problems, and I sorely miss him! Also, I don't own Pixar, Barbie, the Dixie Chicks, the Beatles (that would be fun), or any Utah shot glasses – which honestly do all say the same thing!_


	8. The Ninth Circle of Hell

_As always, I don't own Pixar, the characters, or most of the various sundries that have made their way in here, such as the bungee cord. I do have a blue sand pail...Anyhow. :)_

_So how is Woody doing, you ask? Well, he may not have been a traitor, but he felt like he belonged in the lowest pit of oblivion._

_**The Ninth Circle of Hell**_

"Just leave me _alone,_ Potato Head!"

The toy box lid slammed shut, and there was an awkward pause between the toys. Jessie nudged Buzz. "Buzz, if we aren't careful, we're gonna lose him."

He sighed. "I know. I thought he'd be feeling a bit better by now."

"How long as has it been?" Rex asked in a small voice, touching his claws together.

"Nigh on eight months now," Jessie answered, standing up to raise the box lid and peer out. Woody was nowhere to be seen.

"Is he there?" asked Slinky.

"No, I don't see him."

"Where does he run off to?" Buzz asked hypothetically, joining Jessie.

All the toys shook their heads. None of them dared follow Woody when he huffed off alone. At first it was just out of respect for his need for privacy, but perhaps now it was out of fear. Their relationship with Woody had deteriorated quickly after Bo had left. He'd born up well for the first week or so, then a fit of moroseness had seized him. After weeks of being silent and distant, he'd returned to the land of the living with the patience of a flea and a temper whose fuse was already lit.

"I haven't seen him this angry since you first showed up, Buzz." Slinky said slowly, perched on a blue sand pail.

Buzz nodded. "You're right. I honestly thought he was...deranged, or something." He chuckled. "Then again, I _was _deranged."

Slinky bobbed his head. "He was jealous."

Jessie eased the lid down and there was darkness except for Buzz's spacesuit. "He's been rubbing the back of his neck," she whispered. He must miss her more than she could possibly imagine. "I was once told," she said carefully, "On very good authority, that Woody is a passionate person."

The toys all stared at her. Mr. Potato Head coughed. "Considering who your authority probably was, why am I not surprised?"

Jessie frowned at him. "I didn't mean like that, and neither did she."

Mr. Potato Head snorted. "Yeah, right."

Jessie kicked a Lego at him. "If you'd calm down a dog-gone minute and let me finish-"

He frowned and crossed his arms. "I'm a married spud, not a tater tot."

Another Lego hit him. "She _meant _that Woody tries to take care of us. He _worries _about us, all of us. He risked his neck to save me and Bullseye, and he did it for Buzz too. He pulled toys out of yard sales for years before we finally made him stop. He cares about us, Potato Head, and doesn't stop to think if he's gonna get anything back, even if it pulls him apart."

The two of them glared daggers at each other for a moment before Buzz stepped between them. "She's right," he said quietly. "All these years he's always stopped whatever he was doing to help us, no matter what the cost. You remember that fight."

Potato Head ignored this. "Are you gonna start another 'being good friends' pep talk?" he snarled. "'Cuz I don't think I want to go out and look for our good friend Woody who spends most of his time arguing with me!"

Buzz sighed. "He shouldn't treat you that way, I know it."

Mr. Potato Head grumbled and shuffled away with Hamm. Jessie pulled Buzz down to sit next to Slinky and Rex. Silence encased them for a while, permeating the toy box that they rarely stayed in when they didn't have to. At last, Jessie muttered, "I never thought about it before, but we never really left them alone, did we?"

"What?" Buzz asked.

Jessie looked at Buzz, who blinked hard and looked at his boots. "You mentioned that fight. What I mean...him and Bo - they were always will all the rest of us. We never let them be alone together."

Slinky considered this. "How do you mean?"

Jessie shrugged. She wasn't sure she could communicate the gut feeling she had that maybe she and everyone else hadn't give Woody and Bo enough space. "I just mean... Well, couples should be able to spend some time together. Alone. We never really let them be, did we?"

"I still don't see where that came from," Slinky said. "How does that figure into what Woody's feelin' now? And besides, they're our friends, they liked being with us."

Jessie scuffed her boots together, feeling awkward. "I know. Just...you know, the Potato Heads like to be alone sometimes, and I-" She cut off and blushed, then shrugged again. "I just mean...I dunno. I realized the other day that Bo didn't even try to get Woody to herself on her last night here."

The boys were staring at her as if she'd sprouted an extra head. She felt her cheeks burning hot and was glad that the toy box was dark. If romantic feelings were remotely the same with other people, and Bo felt the way about Woody that she kinda did about Buzz... Well, she'd wished a few times that she could have him to herself for a while. It was fine being all friendly and chummy with everyone else around, but she couldn't help but wonder what would happen if they had some time to get to know each other without everyone else watching. If they could just talk privately sometimes...

Whether he was trying to off-set her embarrassment, or it was just the way his thought pattern worked, Buzz smiled slightly and changed the subject. "I don't think mom's latest choice of music has been helping him much, either."

Slinky barked a laugh. "No kidding. The last thing he needs to hear all day is country music. Twelve straight hours 'a losing women and getting drunk!"

"We could steal the c.d.s," Rex volunteered.

Buzz sighed. The moment for action had come. "No. I'll just go talk to him."

"He'll bite your head off," Slinky warned. "I thought you was smarter than that."

Buzz stood up. "No. I'm his best friend. I need to go help him. He's always helped me."

"But how are you going to find him?" Rex asked.

Buzz shook his head. "I don't know, but I'll find him." Feeling that he should do it now, before he lost his resolve, he nodded farewell, lifted the lid, and jumped to the ground.

If he was Woody, where would he go? His first thought was Molly's room, but after considering, he knew that there were too many other toys in there. Woody wanted to be left alone, not to be talked to or stared at. He was about to conduct an attic to basement search of the entire house when it occurred to him: Woody might be on the roof.

Thinking that it was worth a shot, he climbed up on the desk. Judging by the fact that mom still had the heat on due to the rainy weather, and yet the window was open, Buzz was fairly certain he had the right place. He leaned out the window, looking at the threatening gray sky and wondering how Woody would have managed to climb up to the roof without Slinky's help.

Just beyond the sight of the window a bungee cord was swinging, telltale, from the gutter. Bingo.

Buzz took a deep breath and reached for the cord. He swung uncertainly for a moment as the hook slid a few inches across the gutter, and then climbed up. As he clambered over the gutter, he caught a glimpse of Woody's hat, just on the other side of the roof's pitch. Hoping that he could say something that would help, he straightened up and approached his friend.

"Woody?"

The cowboy's head turned quickly, and Buzz saw his expression change from depressed to annoyed. He looked away, steadfastly ignoring him.

Supposing it was time to establish his position once and for all, Buzz strode around his friend and glared down at him. "You didn't have to yell at Potato Head."

Woody glanced at him. "But it's so much fun."

"He's mad at you."

"Has been for the past ten years."

"You don't mean that."

Woody looked away.

"Woody, we're sick of being treated like this," he said angrily, kicking his boot.

Woody moved his foot. "So don't talk to me."

"We all know you miss her, but you need to get a grip on yourself."

"I'll get a grip when I feel like it."

"And what, we just get to deal with you?"

Woody looked him in the eye and spoke very deliberately, as if he were quoting someone. "I've got news for you, Buzz. I'm definitely not perfect. I get angry and jealous and mean. And I do stupid, mean things."

Buzz felt this had some significance, but countered anyway. "And you've always made up with us in the past."

Like he had lit a rocket, Woody was on his feet and in his face in second. "Shut up."

Buzz was surprised. "No," he said after a moment, considering. "I won't."

Woody advanced on him. "You've said what you came here to. Great, you can all hate me for the rest of your lives, but just stay out of my way."

"We've stayed out of your way since last summer, Woody. We're worried about you."

"Yeah? Well you don't act like it."

"I'm here, aren't I? Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong, tell me how to help."

"You could leave me alone, that might help."

"I've left you alone too long. Your grief has become a way of life; but you've got to snap out of it, Woody. This isn't you."

Woody looked like he might hit him. "Sorry, Buzz, but this is me. It's going to _be _me for a long time, probably forever."

"I thought better of you than that, sheriff."

"Cut out the 'sheriff' crap, Buzz," he spat. "You know I'm right."

"You're wrong. Please, just think of something I can do to help."

Woody turned away, shaking in his boots. "Nothing."

"Would it help if you hit me?"

"Don't tempt me."

The roof was a dangerous place to pick a fight, but Buzz knew Woody wasn't that great of a fighter when it came down to it. Woody might push him around a little bit or hit him, but he had faster reflexes and better aim. Getting Woody to focus his anger on something that he could actually control would help him. Taking a breath, Buzz stepped forward and shoved Woody. Woody stumbled backwards and gritted his teeth. "Get away, Buzz."

"No. You've been building up steam for too long with nothing to take it out on. Fight back."

For a moment, Buzz thought Woody would walk away. Then from nowhere, Woody turned and shouted, pushing Buzz hard in the stomach. Buzz found himself rolling down the roof, buttons beeping. He quickly regained his footing and ran up the pitch, ignoring his spinning vision. Woody was waiting for him, fists doubled, and swung.

Ready for it this time, Buzz ducked and swung too. His hand connected with Woody's jaw and the cowboy fell backwards and rolled for a few feet. He lay motionless for several seconds, then raised his eyes to Buzz's. Momentarily, fear gripped Buzz as he saw the same kind of anger and disgust in his friend's eyes that he had the night the two of them had found themselves abandoned at a gas station. For just a moment, he mentally dropped his guard. He shouldn't have.

Woody yelled and jumped up, hurling himself headlong into him. They collided and rolled several times, then Woody kicked and Buzz felt himself flying through the air, only to land, rolling fast and hard, against the tiles. Through the revolution, Buzz saw the edge approaching, and it wasn't the side with a rain gutter. He threw his arms and legs out, trying to slow his approach, but he was moving too fast. In a blur of gray sky and grass, Buzz flew out into open space – and then something caught his wrist.

Buzz looked up to see Woody lying on the roof, holding him. Without a word, Woody pulled him back up and stepped back. Buzz leaned forward, hands on his knees, and breathed. He had _not_ expected that. Shaking slightly, he tried to exercise some discipline and control himself. Maybe it had worked. "Thanks," he said warmly.

Woody was shell-shocked. "I nearly got you killed," he whispered, horrified.

Buzz waited for a moment, then smiled. "I told you to hit me. Do you feel better now?"

Woody looked at the roof and tried to breathe normally.

"But you don't feel angry anymore?" Buzz persisted.

Numbly, Woody shook his head.

"I have no right to say it, Woody, but I know that this hurts you, and it's going to keep hurting."

"Sure isn't going to stop," he mumbled.

"But you've got to work around it, Woody."

Woody sat down and buried his head in his hands for a long moment. "It's hard to work around something that you spent ten years building, Buzz," he whispered finally.

The weight of Woody's words pierced him, and he decided it was time to change tactics. He sat down, ready to listen. He'd gotten Woody to exhaust the anger, now he just needed him to exhaust the pain. "That's longer than a lot of human relationships last these days."

Woody nodded glumly. "And it all had be thrown away just because we're toys, and we don't get to decide what to do with our lives. It gets decided for us, by a bunch of kids who can't vote, drive, or jump off the high dive."

"I – I never thought about it like that."

Woody glared up at the clouds with a look that would have melted the Ninth Circle of Hell. "It wasn't like I had a _crush _on her, Buzz. We were – committed to each other; to making our relationship last. It was like we were married." He swallowed hard, seeming surprised with himself for saying it out loud. He looked Buzz in the eye. "I told her forever."

Buzz wasn't exactly surprised, but all the same, his gut twisted inside his spacesuit and he ached for his friend. Telling another toy 'forever' was not to be taken lightly. Like Woody had pointed out, toys' futures were uncertain, and forever could mean six months or sixty years. It was tantamount to 'I do, and 'till death do us part.' If Woody had said forever, he meant it. "When?" Buzz asked quietly.

Woody looked like he was going to be sick. "Seven years ago. It was March."

Buzz stared in amazement. "_Seven _years ago - I didn't know. I'm sorry, Woody."

Woody shook his head. "Yeah. We didn't really feel like telling anyone else, but it meant everything to us. And I kind of wish now that we had said something, because sometimes it was hard to keep it together. It was like some ridiculous, twisted version of playing house."

"Playing house? How?" Buzz thought it was best to keep him talking. It would help Woody. And maybe it would help him understand what Woody was going through, because apparently he had missed quite a lot.

"I dunno...keep Andy and Molly happy; make sure no one was left outside; no one got taken to school that didn't come home; keep everyone entertained now that Andy has stopped playing with us; don't let anyone think that Andy's forgotten about us; don't let Molly tie Bo to the ceiling fan; show the new toys around... Like that, Buzz."

"And..."

"And I... You're all my friends." Woody looked over at him with sad eyes. "And I love being in charge; making sure everything gets done right. But there were moments...when I was sick of it. When I just needed some down time."

"Burnout?"

"Yes. I just wanted to be left alone with Bo. I just wanted her there; I didn't care what we were doing. I just wanted her and a little peace and quiet."

Buzz sighed, remembering what Jessie had just said. "We never gave you much room, did we? Until...until Jessie said something about it, I never thought about needing to give the two of you any privacy." He looked at Woody. "I'm sorry about that now."

"Aw, it's not your fault. It's nobody's fault, it's just what happened."

"I guess... Woody, I'm sorry. I don't think like that, I think like a toy. I don't think much past tomorrow."

Woody looked at him curiously. "Think like what?"

Buzz frowned and looked at the roof. Like a man? A woman? A lover? A spouse? A parent? No, all of that. Woody thought like - "Like a human."

Woody sniffed. "I didn't think I was thinking like a human."

Buzz shook his head and looked at his friend. "You know, Bo had you completely figured out, and all the rest of us are just trying to catch up on what she told us."

The cowboy's expression softened. "Like what?"

"You're passionate about being in charge, about being helpful. You take everyone and anyone under your wing and make sure they're taken care of, just like a parent. You go to unheard-of lengths to help Jessie, just like a brother. And you stuck with Bo for ten years, just like a husband. You're not wired like one of us, Woody. You're too human."

Woody stared and the roof and chewed his lip, digesting this. "Did you really just say 'passionate?'"

Buzz laughed. "I was quoting an unimpeachable source."

"Ah. Well," he slapped his hands on his knees and took a deep breath, "She always was right."

"I'm sure she misses you, Woody."

Woody nodded. "I'd like to flatter myself that she does."

"But it's not a competition to see who can be the better star-crossed lover."

Woody frowned at Buzz. "'Passionate' _and _'lover' in under five minutes? Buzz Lightyear, you have got to quit wishing and get on with it."

It was Buzz's turn to frown. "Get on with what?"

Woody stared. "With the cowgirl down there who can't take her eyes off you."

Buzz swallowed hard and looked around quickly, like a bird. "I would hardly say that."

Woody actually laughed, something he'd not done in months. "You...haha, you haven't _noticed_!"

Buzz frowned. "Maybe I should hit you again."

Woody kept laughing. "Go for it, tough guy. Ooh, I am going to give you so much grief..." He fell on his back. "You are _never _going to have a moment's peace, Buzz Lightyear!" He sat up, clutching his stomach and grinning. "It's payback time."

Buzz, feeling flustered and wrong-footed, tried to change the subject. "Come on, lets go back inside-"

"Where _Jessie _is?"

"I will hit you."

Woody bounded to his feet. "Please do. I deserve it. But then we're going to go back inside and see _Jessie-_"

Buzz slapped half-heartedly at Woody, then broke into a jog across the roof. Woody grinned and chased after him, following him back to the drainpipe and bungee cord.

As he watched Woody swing back inside the window, a healthy and familiar glow back in place on his cheeks, Buzz smiled. The problem was not gone, and wouldn't be gone as long as Bo was absent, but Woody was going to be able to deal with it.


	9. The Cowboy Who Loves You So True

_I apologize up front for not having this posted last night. Random things like Fall Break, field school reunions, and violin emergencies have taken precedence. Also, sorry about the crappy formatting when I first uploaded this; I have fixed it.  
_

_These dates are pretty arbitrary; the dates of the movie releases don't quite work with the ages Andy and Molly seem to be, since you don't find out his age until the third film. As a result, I've take some poetic license and made stuff up. :)_

-2007, Bonnie's Room-

"**The Cowboy Who Loves You So True"**

Mr. Prickplepants supposed it was just the artiste in him, but he had always had a trick of noticing other people's habits. For instance, when Bonnie was upset, she would stick her right fist in her mouth and with her left hand twist the side of her shirt into a knot over and over.

Jessie would grasp her braid and pull it around her left shoulder and proceed to pull it through her hands when she was worried. Buzz would frequently clasp his hands behind his back and pace slightly when he was agitated.

Bonnie's mom, Pam Austen, had a habit of keeping her chapstick in the front right pocket of her smock she wore to work. When she wanted some, she would pull it out with her right hand, and use her right thumb to open it one-handed, then continue to talk while putting it on. Mr. Pricklepants thought it was an amazing feat, even for someone who had opposable thumbs.

But even better than noticing people's habits, he loved to ask them why they did things. In an effort to get to know Jessie and Buzz better, he had asked them about their nervous habits. Jessie had looked confused for a moment, then experimentally pulled her hair over her shoulder and played with it. "I dunno, I jus' gotta have somethin' to do with my hands, I guess," was her reason.

Buzz had looked equally befuddled. "I – I didn't know I did," he'd stammered.

And as to why Bonnie's mom used her chapstick the way she did, he would sadly never know.

Last Saturday, nearly seven months since Andy had arrived with his toys, Mr. Pricklepants had discovered that Woody, too, had a very unusual habit. Most of his random rag-doll motions were accounted for. When he was frustrated, he ran his hand over his head, knocking his hat backwards. If he was angry, he'd flail his arms in the air and yell. If he was feeling morose, he'd pick up the boot that still had ANDY written in pencil on the bottom and sigh.

And sometimes, he'd get a far-off, unreadable glaze over his eyes and rub the back of his neck.

...

Woody was sitting on the bed with Buzz and Jessie, dangling his feet off the edge and smiling at something Jessie had just shouted. Having been left on the bed and finding it no easy task to get down, Mr. Pricklepants had seated himself next to Woody, and was busily examining the back of Woody's neck.

"Why is the paint right there worn down?" he asked loudly.

All three of them shrieked and fell off the bed.

"Don't scare me like that!" Woody shouted, muffled by the quilt as he pulled himself back up.

"You oughta give Rex lessons," Jessie said, annoyed, as she helped Buzz to his feet. "He's 'sposed to be the predator."

"I do apologize, especially to you, ma'am, but I was thoroughly engrossed in studying the wear patterns on the back of Woody's neck."

Woody, who was kneeling, grabbed the back of his neck and looked somewhat appalledly at Mr. Pricklepants. "Um... why?"

Mr. Pricklepants pointed at his subject. "It has come to my attention that you frequently rub the back of your neck. I was wondering if it was simply a nervous habit, or if there is some previous injury that took place there."

Woody looked at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. Beside him, Buzz snorted.

"Previous injury, you can say that all right!" hooted Jessie.

Woody reeled to glare at her. Jessie froze, her hands over her mouth. "Oh! I'm sorry, Woody, it just...just came out is all." She bit her lip and leaned away from him.

Woody broke and sighed. "It's all right Jessie. It... it was funny," he said, a very faint smile propping up one corner of his mouth.

Mr. Pricklepants tilted his head. "I do apologize, I seem to have touched on a rather tender subject. Please forget I inquired." He turned and was about to attempt getting off the bed when Woody's boots appeared in front of him.

"No, it's all right. I..." the cowboy laughed half-heartedly. "I didn't even realize

I was doing it again."

"Ah?" the porcupine looked up, now thoroughly intrigued. "And so the story of the young sheriff who rubs his neck is an on-going saga?"

Woody raised and eyebrow. "Well I don't know if you'd call it a saga," he said, Buzz and Jessie appearing behind him.

"Oh, but it's sweet 'n long like one," Jessie said, grabbing Woody's shoulders and pulling him down to her height so she could examine the back of his neck. "He's right, there is kinda a mark here..."

Buzz tilted his head to look too. "Mmm... Yes. Hard to tell if it's from your hand though, or from-" he stopped rather abruptly and stood upright.

"From what?" the Thespian asked, prompting. "What sort of injury? Were you nearly hanged by a villainous cut throat during your time in Andy's room?"

Self-consciously, Woody touched the back of his neck. "I...umm...uh..." He looked at Buzz. "You tell him."

"Me?" cried Buzz. "Oh, no. No, no, no, no, nooo."

Jessie, ever in touch with the softer things behind the grandiose, threaded her way between the two boys and sat down cross-legged in front of Mr. Pricklepants. "I'll tell him, Woody," she said softly.

The last time Woody had seen that expression on Jessie's face she'd been talking about Emily.

"This isn't somethin' that you can go tellin' everyone now, yeh hear?"

"My dear lady, I would not dream of divulging a word of it."

Jessie nodded. Buzz sat down next to her. Woody just stood there, staring blankly at the quilt, clearly uncomfortable.

In a very soft voice, so no one else in the room would hear, Jessie began. "Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep, and doesn't know where to find them. Leave them alone, and they'll come home, wagging their tails behind them."

"Nursery rhymes?" the hedgehog asked, clearly affronted.

"You ever heard the real version?" Jessie asked sternly. Behind her, Woody made a strangled sort of noise.

Mr. Pricklepants sniffed. "Of course. Much too grotesque for a child."

Jessie nodded. "Much. But just because we're made for children, doesn't mean life is all peaches and cream."

"Jessie-" warned Buzz in a low voice. "It's a sweet and terrible story, Buzz. But it's a true story. " She turned back to the hedgehog. "Andy's little sister, Molly, had a Little Bo Peep doll. And let me tell you, mister, you won't find many girls prettier than her. I knew her for nigh on seven years, and there was not a smarter, sassier lady anywhere. You wouldn't have thought it, just lookin' at her, made of porcelain with that big pink dress and lacy petticoats, but I'll tell you – she had the reflexes of a rattler and the instincts of a hawk."

Woody snorted. "I've never quite thought about her like that. A little vampish, maybe..."

Jessie smiled. "Now of course, Bo had a shepherd's crook. And whenever she wanted Woody's attention, she'd hook his neck with it." She laughed. "It was the funniest thing, watching him walk along all unsuspecting, and suddenly be yanked outta sight. Of course it probably _hurt_ a little bit, but you never heard him complain."

Buzz shook his head. "It didn't hurt that much."

Woody's boot connected with Buzz's karate chop action button and Buzz made an awkward jump and slashing motion.

"What!"

Buzz spun around and held his hands up. "No, no! Slinky and I were teasing her about it – and we said it looked like it hurt, and that's why you were avoiding her. So...she...hooked me."

"And?" Woody's expression was unreadable.

"And nothing! But it didn't hurt," he said quickly, cringing a little bit. "It was back before... before that Christmas."

Woody glowered and sat down. He didn't say anything. Mr. Pricklepants ventured forth. "And so the reason you rub the back of your neck is because you're longing for Miss Peep?"

"Now _that _sounded corny," Jessie dead-panned, frowning at the hedgehog.

Woody sighed. "Yeah, but I guess that's about the size of it. That entire first year nearly killed me, but, I just got so worried about Andy and everyone else that I stopped missing her so much. I guess..." he paused, looking up at the ceiling while a cloud settled over his face. "I guess it still hurts."

Silence settled over the group, and Mr. Pricklepants debated on whether the story was over or not. He studied Woody carefully, who seemed to have forgotten that he was sitting in the midst of an audience. His eyes were roving over the cream colored ceiling and glow-in-the-dark-stars of Bonnie's room, but Mr. Pricklepants doubted he was seeing any of it.

"Anyhow," Jessie said quietly, trying to round off the story and get this overly-curious critter in shorts to leave them alone, "about three years ago, when Molly was ten, she decided to get rid of Bo at a yard sale. The family was gone, but a neighbor came and picked up the box of things one morning."

Mr. Pricklepants pressed on voraciously. "Why didn't Bo simply hide?" he asked.

Woody exploded. "What was I supposed to do, huh? Hide her in the attic? In the toy box? She'd just have gotten taken later!" He pointed finger threateningly at Mr. Pricklepants. "We all decided a long time before that happened that there was just a point when we had to move on. If Andy didn't need us anymore, maybe someone else out there would. We're toys, we need to be taking care of kids." He glared daggers at the hedgehog. "We live at the whims of our owners. It's a hard truth but there it is. Kids can love you for years and years and you never think it'll end, but it _does_. And there's nothing we can do about it."

Mr. Pricklepants shrunk back. "Forgive me," he said softly, avoiding the gaze of the three irate toys around him.

Jessie wanted to pummel the hedgehog, or at least kick him off the bed, but Woody beat her to it.

"I'm sorry," he said slowly. "It's not something very pleasant to think about, is it?"

The hedgehog shook his head and looked back at Woody. "Not in the slightest. I've never actually considered it before today."

Woody nodded. "You never do the first time."

"How many owners have you had, Woody?"

He cowboy sighed and sat back. "Three. And it doesn't get any easier."

There was another long silence. Finally, Mr. Pricklepants murmured, "Sometimes it helps to talk, though."

Woody nodded slowly and closed his eyes. It probably wasn't what Mr. Pricklepants had intended, but Woody suddenly did feel the urge to talk about Bo. He'd staunchly kept her inside of him for the past nearly three years, never quite daring to think about her or talk about her, because he knew that same insistent pain that had driven him mad for nearly a year after her departure would come back. It was so much easier to ignore the entire thing. But... But maybe Mr. Pricklepants was right. And the heavens and angels knew Bo deserved it. Whether she was happy or not with her new owner, whether she was lonely or with someone new, the least he could do was make sure people knew how wonderful she was. He took a deep breath and braced himself for the pain.

"She knew she was being sold. The night before she left, we watched the Persieds meteor shower together on the roof."

Jessie sucked in air like a dying fish and gaped. None of them had ever heard him talk about what happened that night after they had left the roof. None of them had dared to ask him. He wouldn't have told.

"We talked for hours. We made each other laugh. She told me she wished that she'd be sold for lots of money, and that Andy's mom would send him to an Ivy League college on the profits." He laughed a bit. "And then...and then she fell asleep in my arms." He bowed his head, letting his hat shield his face.

Woody was silent for a moment. Jessie had almost decided to say something and spare her friend the pain when he started talking again, his voice full of reverent intensity. "She looked so beautiful." He shook his head sadly. "_So _beautiful. But there was no way for me to come up with the right words to tell her that."

And then in the low, gentle, swinging voice that Jessie had heard him use to sing Andy to sleep when he was sick and feverish: "From this valley they say you are going; I shall miss your bright eyes and sweet smile-" his voice cracked, and Jessie's throat constricted. "For they say you are taking the sunshine... that has brightened our pathways awhile."

Woody's head raised and he looked into the space in front of him. Then, in a stronger voice that no longer cracked, but still gentle, he continued. "Come and sit by my side if you love me. Do not hasten to bid me adieu... but remember the Red River Valley, and the cowboy who loves you... So true." He whispered the last two words and buried his head in his arms, shutting out the room.

"Woody-" Jessie whispered.

"We watched the sunrise together that morning," he dead-panned, his voice muffled. "And then I had to let her go." He raised his head and squarely looked at his small audience. "It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

Only Mr. Pricklepants would have asked the next question. "Harder than letting go of Andy?" he queried softly.

Woody looked him right in the eye. "I'll be honest, I didn't care much about Andy that morning." They stared each other down for a few moments.

At that moment Jessie thoroughly regretted letting him pursue the story at all. But Woody buoyed up better than she had hoped.

"It's been three years, nearly," he said. "And there's still not a day that goes by that I don't miss her. I've lost other friends before, and I still think about them, wonder where they've gone sometimes. But it's different with her. It felt more like..." he paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Like having a spouse die. I still feel connected to her. I can't explain it."

Deciding that he had now _definitely_ intruded far too deeply in Woody's private life, Mr. Prickpants sniffed. "I believe I shall leave you now," he murmured quietly. "You have my word of honor I will never breath a word of it to anyone."

There was a pregnant silence on the bed after the stuffed hedgehog departed. Jessie wasn't quite sure what to say to Woody, but she beginning to hurt in a way she couldn't quite describe.

Finally, Woody spoke. "Ten of the most beautiful, shining years of my life,'' he murmured, his eyes closed again. "Watching Andy and Molly grow up together... You always feel like you've helped raise a kid, but we always felt like Andy was kind of _our_ kid..." Woody pushed his hat back finally. His eyes were blazing with a heat that Jessie had never encountered in them. "There were moments when I wished it was real," he said fervently, his blazing eyes fastened on some distant point. "When I wanted to be made of flesh and blood instead of cloth and plastic. We wanted a real relationship where we didn't have to worry about tip-toeing around Andy and Molly, or what she couldn't do because she'd break, or what would happen when Andy and Molly were done with us."

His voice was full of a bitterness and regret that Jessie had never heard before. This was too private; she had known Woody had loved Bo, but this was too much. She knew what love and longing felt like herself, but she hadn't ever thought about what a relationship might be like if it weren't impeded by something as silly as the inhibitions of being breakable, or the reality of being sold off by your owner. Her relationship with Buzz was fun, of-the-moment, and easy. Ironically, she realized just how deeply a toy with no heart, nerves, or blood, could hurt.

Jessie wanted the conversation to be over. Woody shouldn't have had to go through this. And heaven help her, she never wanted to. She found Buzz's hand and squeezed it tightly, hoping to convey this emotion to him. Judging by the severity of the sudden grinding together of her fingers, he understood.

A long minute passed. Beside them, Woody's breathing was growing shorter and shallower, and his face was furrowing deeper. Then without saying anything, he stood up, dropped off the side of the bed, and left the room. Moments later, Jessie heard the unmistakable sound of an air hockey puck hitting the den wall, followed by a scream.

It had been _three _years, but, _"I guess it still hurts."_

Her eyes burning with unshed tears, Jessie threw her arms around Buzz and held him tightly. She absolutely refused to let go.

_All right, that was the last Woody-centric chapter. I'll let you all get some sleep this week and tell you that Bo IS in the next chapter. Just remember, if Woody has to learn acceptance and patience, so do you. ;)_

_Also, don't own Pixar, Chapstick, air hockey pucks, Red River Valley, etc..._


	10. Stalker

_Bo is back in the action...what's she been up to? I shall say right up front that not only do not own Pixar, but I don't own Facebook either! All hail the Omnipotent Social Networking Site. Also, don't own Risk or any rights to the Boxcar Children or Jane Austen..._

**Stalker**

-July, 2011-

Ellie was tossing a few final things into her purse for the day. An empty water bottle, bus pass (probably wouldn't need it), gum, iPod, cell phone...

Bo tried to keep from laughing as she watched, because Ellie always packed her purse in exactly the same order without realizing it.

Ellie frowned and looked around the room, chewing her lip. "What was I gonna take..."

"Lotion, Ellie," Bo muttered, smiling. Ellie never _heard _her when she spoke, but Bo was convinced that Ellie heard some voice answer in her head when she threw hypothetical questions at her, or started raging about the injustice of gas prices. All the same, Bo had developed the bad habit of answering Ellie's questions out loud - softly.

"Right! New lotion bottle," Ellie said, diving at the mall bag next to her desk. "I swear I'm getting Alzheimers, Mary," she told her doll as she shoved the blue bottle into her bag and flipped off the bedroom light. "I've gotta go give the kids a spelling test."

After the door shut behind her, Bo waited her customary five minutes before moving. Three minutes later, Ellie's mom opened the door, crossed the room and pulled open the curtains and cracked the window, then turned and left again.

"The coast is clear," Bo said, using the familiar term Woody used to when Andy had left the bedroom. Her sheep bleated and began scuttling across the dresser to examine Ellie's new eyeshadow quad.

It was time for her usual morning snooping. Using her crook, Bo made her way across the room and up onto the desk where Ellie's laptop was still open to her Facebook profile. She opened a new tab and typed in Ellie's blog URL with her crook.

When Ellie was a teenager, Bo had read her journal. Now she read her blog and "stalked" her Facebook account. If she'd had anyone else to talk to, she wouldn't have been such a snoop, but Ellie was all she had. At first it just kept her from going crazy, but now it was fairly entertaining. Besides, it kept her apprised of what was going on in Ellie's hectic life now that she was in college. She knew what movies she was watching, how work was going, if the car was broken, and who she was dating.

Bo grinned as she used her crook to click on the laptop's mousepad. Three semesters ago, Ellie had met – of all the people in the world – Andy. They'd taken a communications class together. She had been in her second junior semester and he had been at the tail end of his senior year. Andy had actually asked her out after the semester was over, and now Andy was one of the Five Things Ellie Talked About: Work, School, Andy, Car, and Europe.

Bo had been bursting with curiosity about Woody when she'd discovered this 'Small World' incident, but it wasn't like Andy frequently talked about the toys he played with as a child to his girlfriend. He was nearly 22, for heaven's sake.

Ellie's blog, "Peanut Butter and Jelly," hadn't been updated. There was still the picture of Ellie and Andy sitting on the lawn, grinning, and a paragraph about how frustrating 26 seven-year-olds in the same room could be.

She shook her head and went back to the Facebook profile. "It's funny," she said to herself, "when Molly was nine I started worrying about being gotten rid of. And Ellie's a grown woman in college, and I don't think she'll ever get rid of me." _Of all the ironies_, she mused, scanning the page for a status update.

"Ellie Jones is hoping they remember how to spell 'college.'"

Ellie was doing an internship as a teacher's aid in a second grade classroom. She'd been lucky to get the position; it was hard to come by year-round schools that would fit into a college schedule.

Bo continued down the page. "Ellie Jones uploaded album 'Summer Fun' on 7/2/2011. Ellie Jones, Andy Davis, Bonnie, and Very Handsome Cowboy are tagged in this album."

"What on earth have you two been up to?" Bo chuckled and clicked on the album. The first couple of pictures were of Ellie and Andy sitting on a green lawn, then a few of a young girl holding up various toys. In one, the girl, apparently Bonnie, was pointing at some cardboard boxes colored on to look like houses. Bo smiled, remembering when Andy had done that as a child, and wondered if he'd given Bonnie the idea. The caption read, "Bonnie gives us the grand tour of 'Green River City.'" And then, "Bonnie and Very Handsome Cowboy are tagged in this photo."

There wasn't anyone else in the picture except Bonnie, a cloth doll, a cardboard house, and a blue triceratops. Bo moved the cursor around the picture idly, waiting for the other tag to pop up. In the top left corner, the little white text box appeared, and Bo moved the cursor and looked hard at the screen. It was a boot. A tiny cowboy boot with a spur. And it looked familiar.

She scrolled down the page to find the tag list. Frowning, she read down to the bottom. "Very Handsome Cowboy is tagged in four photos." Trying to exercise some self-control, Bo clicked on the box. It was just a dummy link for someone who didn't have a real profile, but obediently four thumbnails popped up. The first one was the picture of Bonnie she had just seen, so she clicked the next one, which appeared to be of Ellie holding a toy upright in front of the cardboard house.

Ellie was kneeling on the grass, and was indeed holding a toy...Woody.

"What!"

The caption read, "Andy introduced me to Woody, who is quite possibly the cutest cowboy I've ever seen in my life."

Andy had commented on the photo. "Only you, Ellie!"

Ellie: "Bonnie agreed with me. So did half the other toys."

Andy: "LOL. Half, and the other half just thought you were silly."

Ellie: "The _female _half agreed with me. Of course the boys didn't."

Andy: "You're just embarrassing the poor guy!"

Ellie: "I think Woody is flattered to get some attention."

Andy: "This is why we're friends. You are the only person who could keep me this entertained. :)"

This was _crazy_. No, it wasn't crazy, it was _impossible_. Trying to keep her jaw from dropping, she clicked for the next picture. It was of Bonnie, who was holding not just Woody in her arms, but Buzz and Jessie as well.

She waited a few moments, waiting for the dizziness this brought on to pass, but it didn't. Feeling incredibly discombobulated, Bo clicked for the last photo. Ellie and Andy were sitting together on a blanket with all of Andy and Bonnie's toys strewn across it. Bonnie was standing behind Andy and Ellie, making Woody sit on Andy's shoulder and making rabbit ears above Ellie's head. It had to be the sweetest thing Bo had seen in years. All the people she cared about were right there; together. She dragged her eyes down to the caption.

"This is why I love my boyfriend. He gave all his favorite toys to the cutest little girl in the world."

Andy _gave Woody up? _

Very deliberately, she sat down against the pencil cup. She had believed she was _never _going see him again. Or Jessie. Or Buzz. Or anyone else... It took a few minutes, but the shock ebbed a bit and the old pain in her chest came back clearly. The heartache and loneliness returned, feeling stronger than they had at first, but probably only due to the intervening years blunting them. She buried her face in her hands and closed her eyes.

She had strictly forbidden herself to say it, but she did it anyway.

"Woody..." She choked on his name, knowing she hadn't said it aloud in six years. "Woody I _miss _you..."

..

On the other side of town, lazily stretched out and napping in the sun on Bonnie's back deck, Woody suddenly sat upright. There was nobody else around save for a couple of curious quail pecking at the grass.

And _her_. Somehow, in some strange and ethereal way, she was right there.

Woody looked around him, expecting to see her. He touched the back of his neck, feeling it tingle the way it used to. He took several deep breaths, trying to cling to the sensation that had awoken him, soaking it in. All in one mixed wave, the jelly legs, the swooping stomach, headiness, contentedness, peace, silliness, and joy of being with her overwhelmed him.

"Bo?"

As distinctly as it had come, the feeling evaporated. Woody jumped to his feet, involuntarily calling out the words he desperately wished he'd said six years ago. "No, no - don't go-"

..

_He was pressed firmly against her, nearly pinning her to the wall. The shelf Andy's mom had put them on seemed a million miles high, and Bo felt deliciously giddy. This was worth falling from the ceiling fan. It was worth it a million times over..._

_ "Okay, you can have him back now. Thank you for telling Molly you're sorry." Mom's footsteps sounded on the stairs. Woody didn't seem to have heard._

_ She pulled back. "Woody," she managed to gasp, trying to look around his head at the door._

_ He stubbornly misinterpreted her and pulled her closer. She couldn't blame him, they were never left alone like this anymore. But -_

_ "Woody!" She dug her hands into his sides and he jolted away, confused._

_ "Mom's coming," she whispered insistently._

_ "Already? But they just..." He sighed and sat down, his head lolling against her leg. She snapped into position just as the door to the bedroom opened._

_ "Can I _please _put Bo in my room?" Andy asked. Mom's hand appeared and pulled Woody off the shelf and passed him to the anxious boy._

_ "Andy, she's not yours," Mom said tiredly._

_ "But Molly doesn't take care of her, and I do. I don't want to keep her, I just want to play with her."_

_ Mom sighed. "Andy, aren't you a little old for little girl's toys?"_

_ Andy made a fairly inarticulate, hurt sound. "But -"_

_ "She's Molly's."_

_ Mom put her hand on her son's head and gently steered him from the room, closing the door behind her. Bo sighed and touched her face where it was still tingling from the pressure of Woody's mouth. If Andy didn't have a strangle-hold on him, he'd come back tonight. _

Bo woke up on Ellie's desk with her face still tingling. She touched it and sighed. It had been a long time since she'd dreamed about him like that.

He was still on the computer screen, smiling with that vacant expression that she loved. The same expression she had just seen in her dream. He had come back that night. She'd fallen asleep in his arms, listening to his deep voice absently humming cowboy songs to her. It was a rare occasion in those days that allowed the two of them to be alone together for more than a few minutes. Woody was in high demand and she'd always known that. It just made every minute she got with him more precious.

She stood up and paced the desk slowly, wistfully, a decision waring within her. There was a reason she'd never said his name out loud before. Thinking about him again could be very dangerous.

Years ago, after spending many difficult nights trying not to cry and wake Ellie, and many long days with nothing to fill them with except dimming memories, Bo had finally accepted her lot and moved on. Either she could spend her days pining away until she became a shell of herself, or she could find some new purpose and move on. She didn't have to let go of her old friends or Woody, but she needed to be able to separate herself from them. She had to become her own person again, a person that could function independently.

Because in Ellie's room Woody wasn't around to help her on and off furniture. There was no warm, fuzzy dachshund who lived to lay sprawled out on his side for hours and let her and Woody pet him. There were no toys for her sheep to play with, no Jessie to fill the silence, no Buzz to tease, and no Potato Head to argue with. But most of all, no Woody.

It had been years since she had let herself indulge in a full-on agonizing journey through her memories of him. It was probably unhealthy to dwell in the past, so she strictly told herself to focus on the present. Focus on making sure the Carls didn't get anywhere near her and her sheep. Focus on Ellie: what classes was she taking, what were her second-graders learning, what was her Facebook status, how did she feel about Andy?

These were safe, engrossing topics. And when they weren't enough to dispel her loneliness, Ellie had a large bookcase full of every book she'd owned from the time she was a toddler. Bo had plowed her way through nearly all of them over the years; everything from the "Boxcar Children" series to Jane Austen, and she had even ventured into some of Ellie's old textbooks. Child psychology and anthropology were a little much for her, but it kept her busy.

But maybe, finally, it was time to think about him again. She looked up at him on the computer screen. She was pleased to see that he looked the same as she remembered. She wondered how much he had changed otherwise. She was well aware she'd developed personality quirks and new habits since she'd last seen him. Surely he had changed as well. No doubt leaving Andy after two decades of devoted care had to hurt. It probably hurt badly enough that he had gone into one of his manic-depressive states that left him a little more bitter and jaded every time. She smiled ruefully to herself. If he wouldn't get so attached to things, he wouldn't get hurt so often, but that was one of the first things she had noticed about Woody: he was completely devoted. And after a while of being with him, she knew that he was completely devoted to her as well. It was a sweet reassurance.

He'd told her it was forever, and he'd meant it. It was the most one toy could give another. There were no formal marriages, no way to solemnly document in front of everyone that two toys were committed to each other. For toys, the friendships and relationships forged over many tender years were held in the small, sticky hands of children. She and Woody had decided early on – no matter how little or how much time they had until they were separated, they wouldn't waste the intervening years.

They had gone from being simply best friends to best friends on an entirely different level. They had graduated from being considered a "mushy" couple -courtesy of Hamm- to a tight-knit team. "A force to be reckoned with," as Buzz had put it once after they had teamed up to trash him at _Risk_. She recalled that Buzz hadn't wanted to play with them for a long time after that.

The way they meshed together was beautiful, enviable. He understood her, and he always said it was creepy the way she understood him. He had maintained for years that girls shouldn't be able to think like guys; it was wrong. But there it was – she just knew him inside and out. And they rarely fought; which had always surprised her. When they had, it was explosive, but more often than not, they got along perfectly. They both had strong personalities; and she frequently wondered why they hadn't clashed more often.

There were other things too, silly things. Like the fact that Woody was insanely tall for a toy, and it was probably pretty miraculous that she was close to his height. As far as she knew, most dolls, aside from Barbies, were either much shorter or much bigger than her. She'd joked one day that it was a good thing they were about the same height, otherwise kissing him would have given her a neckache. Bo smiled, remembering him laughing at her for it.

The snagging of his jeans on her dress when they stood close; his arms around her waist and head on her shoulder the first time he let her ride Bullseye; the funny, reeling noise his pull string made inside his chest...

She sighed. "Come and sit by my side if you love me-"

_"Woody! Where are my sheep!"_

_ He was grinning adorably. "Oh no! Did they turn into marshmallows again?"_

_ "Woody!" _

_ His soft stuffing saved her from breaking as she pushed him to the ground and tickled him mercilessly. He was laughing and squirming, thrashing frantically to get away, but he knew she'd do this; he liked it..._

"Do not hasten to bid me adieu-"

_"Buff! The ramp!" ...No Slinky, don't let go of him, don't you dare let go of him! We have to get him back, get him in the van now... Don't let go!_

"But remember the Red River Valley-"

_"Bo?"_

_ "Hmmm?" She lifted her head from his shoulder as he slowly waltzed her around kitchen floor._

_ "I love you."_

_ It had been the first time he'd said it. The first time of many he'd whispered it in her ear as he kissed her goodnight..._

"And the cowboy who loves you so true."

_A breeze stirred her skirts, and in her fitful sleep, knowing this would be the last night they spent together, she heard his voice in her ear. "But remember the Red River Valley, and the cowboy who loves you so true." His breath was warm on her cheek. "Bo..." His face was against hers, and his arms were shaking. She didn't want to move, didn't want to acknowledge the impending separation, and she drifted back into the hooded realms of sleep..._

Bo inhaled swiftly as if she'd been doused in cold water. For as many lonely years as she cared to remember, she'd been singing _Red River Valley_ to herself, letting its somehow familiar, yet sad, words lull her to sleep. And now she knew why. Woody had sang it to her. All those years ago, on the roof.

Somehow galvanized by this realization, Bo's brain started working again. She wanted to see him? Hear him? She was going to.

Less than a minute later, his voice, long garbled down in the dregs of her memory, was coming through the speakers of Ellie's computer. She had found _Woody's Roundup_.


	11. Hang 'Em High

_Guess what? Toy Story 3 comes out on Tuesday!_

_Okay, in honor of the movie that broke them apart, lets get around to hooking them back up, shall we?_

Sometimes a sheriff's gotta do what a sheriff's gotta do. And that's:

**Hang 'Em High**

-March, 2012-

Sick of folding laundry, Ellie got off her bed and signed into her IM account to see if maybe Andy was back from his meeting yet. There was a familiar chime, and several online buddies popped up Andy wasn't one of them. She was about to sign off again when a message appeared on her screen.

MOLLYGIRL12: Ellie! Pam is having the baby!

Ellie squealed with delight. Bonnie was _finally _going to have that little brother she'd been telling everyone about for months. She flipped on her webcam and saw Molly and Bonnie smiling at her.

"You were supposed to text me, Molly," Ellie laughed. "Are you excited, Bonnie?"

The nine-year-old brunette nodded. "And Molly is going to have a sleepover with me tonight!"

Molly touched the little girl's hair. "I'm watching her overnight. Pam asked if I'd get someone else to come over too; do you wanna?"

Ellie grinned. "Of course! Have you told Andy yet?"

"I sent him a text but I think he's still in that meeting."

"Okay. Let me grab my stuff and I'll be right over, okay?"

"Sweet. We're going to go make dinner, aren't we?" Molly asked Bonnie. Bonnie jumped off the couch, scattering toys and clothes, and bounded for the kitchen. "I think that's a yes," Molly said and set her laptop down on the couch.

Ellie grabbed a bag from the hook on the back of her door and started stuffing her pajamas and toothbrush into it. When she finally left the room, she shut the door behind her but neglected to turn off the light. Or the webcam.

In the absence of another human in the shot, Bo could see the couch where Molly and Bonnie had been sitting, and she nearly shrieked with delight.

Bo listened for a moment, making sure the house was still silent, and then let herself down onto the bed. At the side, she stopped again and squinted at the computer screen. She couldn't see or hear Bonnie or Molly (whom she had barely recognized; she was so much older!), so she crossed the floor and climbed up onto the desk. Behind her, her sheep bleated loudly.

"Shh. She left the camera on."

Cautiously, not wanting to scare any unsuspecting humans by suddenly appearing on the webcam, she peaked out from behind the pencil cup.

Woody was stuck because he knew the camera was still on, even if Molly and Bonnie were out of the room. He was lying on the sofa, his face hidden and hat dislodged. Bo smiled and laughed out loud at her luck.

"Lying down on the job I see, Woody," she said, hoping her voice didn't shake.

He didn't move, but off the screen, Bo heard voices.

"Did you fellas hear that?" _Jessie!_

"Hear what?" _And Buzz!_

"Sounds like someone was talking to Woody."

"Woody?" Buzz's voice called.

The cowboy still didn't move.

"They're gone, Woody, you can get up," Buzz insisted.

"Oh, shoot! The camera!" Jessie's voice dropped to an urgent whisper.

Their voices were like music to her ears. She laughed. "It's me," she practically shouted.

She thought she saw him twitch, but it could have just been the poor video quality.

"Woody?" she asked softly, "Please talk to me."

Very, very slowly, Woody raised himself and stole a glance at the computer screen. He stared for a very long time at her. "Bo?" his voice was so faint she barely heard it.

"Woody," she murmured back, trying to cram all the love and friendship she could into the name, making it into a verbal embrace. Words would have to do tonight.

He stared at her as if in a trance, still on his knees. She felt herself melting at the sight of his dark brown eyes – they were gorgeous. Black and white 50's footage did not do her cowboy justice.

Woody slowly climbed to his feet and stepped towards the laptop. A reverent smile was finding its way onto his lips. "My yellow Rose of Texas," he whispered, touching the screen.

Bo let out the breath she was holding. She had nearly forgotten he used to call her that. She had been his Mexacali Rose, his Rose of San Antoine. They were silly sentiments, and she knew it, but somehow, when she'd been in his arms, slowly dancing through the shafts of moonlight pouring in the kitchen window, they hadn't been. "Hey howdy hey, cowboy," she whispered back.

"Woody? What's going on?" Rex's voice floated up from the floor below him.

Woody gave her a crooked smile. She remembered what that meant. "Hey guys," he called, "get up here! It's Bo!"

Before she knew it, all her friends, and several other toys, were crowded around the computer screen. They were a sight for sore eyes.

"You belong to Ellie?" Woody asked incredulously over the din of everyone around him.

"Yes, she bought me at the yard sale," she answered. She felt like she was going to sing she was so happy.

"Guys, guys! Quiet!" Woody whispered loudly. "Bonnie will hear us." The clamor around him died down a bit. "So you're safe, then?" he asked, making sure.

Bo nodded. "Ellie's a sweetheart."

"And she's gonna marry Andy!" Jessie hollered, then caught herself.

Bo just laughed. "She hopes so! He's all she ever talks about anymore."

"So how long have you known she was dating him?" Woody asked, making a concerted effort not to tip over the laptop as he stepped off it.

"Since a few semesters ago...and then I saw you on Facebook."

His jaw dropped.

"Facebook? Woody, you didn't tell us you have a Facebook account," Rex called.

Woody looked at Rex incredulously for a second. "Because I _don't_?" He looked back at her. "How on earth-"

Bo cut him off. "Ellie tagged you in an album." She grinned. "I use Facebook and her blog to keep track of her now that she's in college. She had you tagged as a Very Handsome Cowboy." She leaned on her crook, anticipating his reaction and enjoying every delayed, buffered second that she had to look at him.

Jessie shoved Woody. "I'd forgot Ellie's sweet on you!" She looked at Bo. "You ain't jealous, now are you?" she joked.

"Mmmm...my roommate having a crush on Woody... Very jealous."

Woody just grinned goofily.

"You know, there's a picture of her and Andy and all of you that she's had as her wallpaper forever."

"I remember that," Buzz said.

Woody laughed. "So what have you been doing besides stalking us on Facebook?"

"Well...I found out that you can find all of the_ Woody's Roundup _episodes on the internet."

His jaw dropped again. "You _can!_"

Jessie let out a whoop. "Let's watch 'em!"

Woody swallowed, looking slightly embarrassed. "And...you actually _watched _them?"

Bo smiled at him. "I just wanted to see you," she said quietly. "I missed you." There was a slightly awkward pause as the other toys realized that maybe they should give the two of them some space. Bo shook her head and looked over at Jessie and Bullseye. "And you two! It was so good to see you all, and hear you... it was like watching Andy playing." She laughed. "Woody, the Combat Carls across the hall all think you're a gunman for hire."

Woody grinned at her and shook his head. "They're confusing me with Paladin. Wait," he raised an eyebrow. "Combat Carls?"

Bo made a face at him. "Silly. They're awful; they like to try and kick my sheep off the dresser and-"

"And show you a good time?" came Carl's voice from right behind the monitor.

"Play?" Another Carl's voice came from behind her.

Holding her crook tightly, she spun around to look at him. "Get out," she warned him. They'd all been thrashed by her crook a dozen times before, but none of them ever seemed to get the hint.

"Nah, we wanna see who you're talking to," called another Carl, and two of them ducked out from behind the pencil cup.

Bo took a deep breath and glanced back at the screen. "This might take a minute," she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

All of her friends screamed simultaneously as the Carls jumped her. However, seven years of dealing with them had made her rather adept at knocking them off of furniture with her shepherd's crook, and seconds later, two of them were on the floor and a third had been knocked senseless. Bo heard Jessie and Woody laugh.

"Reflexes like a rattler and a personality like a hawk, what did I tell you?" Jessie called out.

Distracted, Bo, turned from her task of beating the last Carl to look at the screen. That's when the fourth Carl picked up a pencil, swung it, and at long last knocked Bo's crook to the floor in two pieces. She was weaponless.

"Get out," Bo said again, forcing her voice to be calm.

He twirled the pencil in his hand and helped his buddy up. "Get 'er," he said, and the two of them, coordinating efforts, managed to grab both of her arms.

"Bo!"

She looked back at Woody, focusing on him, as the other two Carls appeared. One grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth with his hand. The Commander Carl approached and and touched her chin softly. She shuddered.

"Hey! Get away from her!" Woody shouted.

The Commander grinned wickedly at Woody. "Some of your old friends, darling? We're some of her _new _friends," he winked. "Hey, it's even the gunman!" He clucked his tongue. "She's a pretty little thing, ain't she? A fellas gotta have a pretty girl around to help him relax, you know?" he said softly, stroking her under her chin. He hit her sweet spot and she jumped.

On the screen, so did Woody. "Get _off_ of her!" he shouted furiously, his hands balled into fists.

The Commander turned and looked at Bo appraisingly. He tickled her chin again and she shuddered, gritting her teeth. _Not fair_, _not fair!_

"Mmm. You gotta jump start," he grinned. "To Zack's room, boys! I don't think any of them need to see any more."

"Woody!" Bo screamed as the Carls pulled her away from the computer.

"Bo! No-"

The screen was blank.

"They've switched off the camera!" Jessie hissed, grabbing her braid. "Woody, what're we gonna _do!_"'

Woody was looking around furiously. _Nobody _t_ouches my girl like that! _ "I – I don't know, um… I know Ellie's address, but a lot of good that's gonna do us…"

"We could call her!" Jessie said, grabbing Woody's arms. "Call Ellie, tell her to go back home!"

"It's a little late for that," hollered Hamm from the window. "She's just pulled up."

"Woody, her car!" Buzz shouted.

It was crazy, but Woody knew Buzz could drive it, and he was going to get to Bo even if he had to run the whole way there. "Right. Everyone hide so she doesn't pick us up!" Woody darted under the couch with everyone else. Ellie let herself in after knocking.

"Hey Molly, it's me!"

From the kitchen, Molly answered. "We're in here!"

"Making pizza!" Bonnie hollered.

Ellie laughed and dropped her purse on the couch and made her way into the kitchen. The moment she was out of sight, Woody jumped back up on the couch and grabbed her car keys. "Sorry, Ellie, but I'm borrowing your car!"

"Let's go!" Buzz shouted, and Woody tossed him the keys. Jessie ran ahead and opened the front door.

"Ride like the wind, guys!" she hollered, watching as the entire gang sans the aliens and Bonnie's original toys ran out the door. Jessie looked back to see Bonnie's toys looking rather stunned.

"So…you're just going to steal Ellie's car?" Dolly asked, raising an knitted brow.

Jessie grinned broadly. "That's the thing about life with Woody; you never know what's gonna happen!" And she dropped from the door handle and raced out to the car.

...

Bo was angry. She was sitting on an inverted shoe box in Zack's room, her hands twist tied behind her back. Her shepherd's crook was broken in half on the floor in front of her. Far from having sentimental value, she knew that she'd lost her best defense against the Carls.

However, the Combat Carls were apparently so thick that they weren't even sure what to _do _with a girl. They had been taunting and poking at her for the last ten minutes, but only the Commander had tried anything. He'd attempted to kiss her a few times under her chin, but she'd knee-d him in the jaw. After that they hadn't tried anything disgusting.

In fact, they seemed to be getting a little bored. After seven years they had finally managed to nab her, but it was rather like Elmer Fudd finally capturing Bugs Bunny. They stood around like a bunch of eight year old boys who had captured girls on the playground and taken them to their fort.

"Are you going to let me go yet?" she asked, irritated.

"Not yet," one of them smirked.

They'd had plenty of time to try and take advantage of her and hadn't done it yet. She wasn't scared anymore, she was just angry. "If you were going to just stare at me, you could have at least waited until I'd said goodbye to my friends. It was rather rude of you to interrupt," she said condescendingly.

"Nah, we're gonna keep you here all night," the Commander laughed.

Bo itched to smack them all across the face with her crook. The first time in _seven _years she'd been able to talk to Woody, and the Carls had to interfere. She longingly thought of what Woody would do if he could get his hands on them.

The Carls were sitting around an empty matchbox, making off-color and terribly predictable jokes. One of them held up a clubbed hand. "Did you guys hear somethin'?"

The rest of them shook their heads. One of them found a marble and began kicking it.

"Really, can I leave now?" Bo demanded. "You're more boring than staring at the ceiling all day."

The Commander guffawed loudly. "Dreaming about your gunslinger friend, eh?" He slapped the Carl closest to him confidently and they all started laughing obnoxiously.

Bo rolled her eyes. "Sheriff," she corrected him.

The Commander just laughed. "I guess he's a little bit out of his jurisdiction with you, eh?"

Bo remained stonily silent.

"After all, he's just a rag doll; what's he gonna do to us?"

Underneath the doorway, a light suddenly shone into the room.

"It's comin' from Ellie's room," one of them said.

"Then you'd better untie me," Bo droned, looking at the wall. She desperately wanted to go back to Ellie's room and see if she could get the webcam to work again.

"No, it's from the street light outside. It turned on just now," the Commander said.

"Yeah, that's it."

The shadow of an enormous pair of legs appeared underneath the door. The Carls all shouted and stood up, cowering behind her. Bo rolled her eyes. "It's just one of the family, guys," she muttered.

Something heavy and clanking hit the door hard, shaking the floor. Bo sat up a little straighter. That wasn't a sound that any of the family made. She silently prayed that a robber hadn't broken in.

Again, the door shook. The Carls quaked behind her. In the silence that followed the second heave of the door, a very distinct scratching sound slid over its surface. Bo took several deep breaths. A robber would disregard her. But if it was a large dog outside the door, chances were it would not.

Then without warning, the door swung wide open and the shadow of some large creature loomed across them. Whatever it was let out an awesome roar.

The Carls abandoned her, squealing like little girls, and scattered across the floor. But on the matchbox, Bo started laughing. She'd know that roar anywhere. The ceiling light turned on and revealed Rex standing in the doorway, not looking the least bit ferocious at all. Behind him were crowded Andy's old toys. Jessie was hanging from the door knob.

"I think you called for help, missy?" Jessie hollered and dropped to the ground.

The Carls had skidded to a stop and were looking, dumbfounded, at Rex and Jessie. "Toys?" They all asked on pitch.

Bo turned and glared at them. "Friends."

The Carls started laughing. "It's just a gang of Preschool toys!" the Commander shouted, pointing.

"Gang? Oh no Commander, this is my posse."

At the sound of Woody's voice, right there in the doorway, Bo felt like hot liquid had been poured into her hollow porcelain body. He had come to rescue her.

"Let's get 'em!" The cowboy yelled, and broke into a run, a flood of Andy's old toys behind him.

"Let's hog tie, em, Woody!" Jessie yelled, launching herself into the knot of Combat Carls who had become frozen in place.

"I've got some string!" Mr. Potato Head's voice came from somewhere in the confusion.

"And I've got tape!" hollered Slinky's voice.

"That's right, Jessie! Bring them over here!" Woody and Buzz appeared at Bo's side. Woody had her hands untied in seconds and he swept her off the shoe box. Buzz flipped it over. "Is there a lid to this?" he asked officiously, looking around.

"Over there," Bo pointed to the desk. She turned to find Woody, but he was lost in the melee.

Buzz retrieved the lid just as Jessie and Rex appeared, holding a very hog-tied Carl between them. "Drop him in the box," he ordered.

The Carl wailed as he was dropped into the box, thrashing wildly but unable to get loose. Moments later, a very satisfied looking Woody and Potato Head carried in another one. Then Hamm and Slinky rolled a third over.

"Where's that Commander?" Woody demanded furiously, turning on his boot heel. "I'm going to-'"

From the bed above them, the Commander threw himself headlong into Woody, knocking him to the ground. In a flurry of fists and inertia, the two of them hurtled across the floor, Woody's hat sliding away. The pair of them crashed hard into the CD tower, which teetered ominously above them as the pair struggled.

"_This town ain't big enough for the two of us..."_

"Ow!" Woody kicked hard and the Commander was jolted off of him. He hit the wall and sat dazed for a moment before climbing to his feet. Woody was waiting for him, shoot-out style, with his knees bent and arms ready. The two slowly circled each other, then without warning rushed together again. This time Woody side stepped the Commander's attack at the last moment and clotheslined him, pushing him up against the wall and kicking the soldier's leg and elbow joints hard so that they locked into position and the Combat Carl clattered to the floor, twitching like a dead spider.

Angry, Woody stamped his boot into the Commander's neck. He bent over the helpless toy and glared. "Like I said, this town ain't big enough for the two of us."

The Commander glared back. "I think you're outta your jurisdiction, Sheriff."

Woody stamped his boot again and the Commander grunted in pain. "The minute you touched her you found yourself smack dab in the middle of my jurisdiction."

"What're you gonna do with us?"

Woody stepped off the Commander's neck, taking care to scratch his spur against his cheek. "Consider yourself my prisoner," he growled. He turned and walked away. "Jessie!" He jerked his head back towards the paralyzed Commander. "He's all yours."

Jessie appeared and obligingly tied Carl up rather snuggly. "Hope that's not too tight," she simpered, kicking his boot as she stood up. Together, she and Woody lifted the contorted toy up and tossed him into the box with his comrades.

"What should we do with them, Sheriff?" Buzz asked jovially as the pair of them stared down the whimpering Combat Carls.

Woody grinned wickedly. "Lid."

Buzz and Jessie put the lid on the jiggling box.

"Tape."

Slinky pushed the roll of duct tape towards Woody, and within seconds they had the shoebox sealed so not even a flea could get in.

Woody glanced up at the ceiling fan. "Hang 'em high," he said, grinning.

Within minutes, the box of hopelessly shackled Combat Carls was strapped to the top of a fan blade. As Woody and Slink dropped from the ceiling, Buzz obligingly switched the fan on.

Woody appeared at Bo's elbow. "I think, ma'am, that that clears up your little pest problem."

Shaking with delight, Bo jumped into his arms and hugged him. "I'm not even going to _ask _how you got here, Woody!"

"Ellie's car," Buzz replied behind her.

"Sweet mother of Abraham Lincoln!" Jessie shouted. "Ellie's gonna wonder where it is!"

At that moment, the phone rang. Bo grabbed Woody's hand and dragged him out into the hall so she could hear the voice mail. Everyone else followed.

"Hey, is anybody home? I think someone took my car… Dang it, no one's home, Molly. I was hoping it was Zack." Ellie sounded scared.

"Did you call him?" came Molly's voice.

"No. I'll do that now before I call the cops…"

The line went dead.

Woody sighed. "I guess that's our cue," he said, touching her chin. "At least I know where you are now."

Bo nodded. He was going to leave her here. He was going back to Bonnie, and she couldn't leave Ellie. It hurt, but she understood. "Thank you," she whispered and kissed his cheek, feeling that was probably safer than really kissing him.

Woody hugged her.

"We'll be in the car, Woody," Buzz muttered, ushering everyone away.

Bo pulled away from Woody. "Wait guys. I meant everyone when I said thank you." She moved over to Jessie and hugged her.

Before she knew it, she was being hugged by every one of her old friends. It was like the first time she'd met Woody. Feeling someone against her was magic. Ellie talked to her, but never really held her. Contact with another being was something Bo had learned to cherish over her life.

Woody grasped her hand and they followed everyone back into Ellie's bedroom. The others nodded a last farewell and began climbing out the open window.

"I'm not sure what to say," he said.

"I still love you," she blurted out. After seven years of being apart, it was imperative that he knew this, whether he was with someone new or not.

He chuckled. "My yellow Rose of Texas. I just can't quite get you out of my mind."

The car horn honked. "We haven't even been here five minutes!" Woody fumed, staring at the window furiously.

"Honey, this isn't goodbye," Bo said, genuine belief in her voice. "We're closer than we thought we were, see?"

Woody said nothing, but pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "I've _missed_ you," he whispered fiercely, hugging her tighter. They weren't kidding anyone; they couldn't be together again yet.

Feeling suddenly alone and vulnerable, Bo shuddered against him. "_Please _don't leave," she pleaded, knowing he would have to.

"Bo, I am _so_ sorry..." he choked. It wasn't fair, it wasn't right, but he was going to have to do it.

They held each other for a long time, her face buried against his cheek and his hands moving slowly up and down her back. One of the snaps on her dress caught his fingers and popped. He froze. "Um...it didn't used to do that," he said, sounding like a kid who'd been caught sneaking into the cookie jar.

Despite herself, Bo giggled. "Ellie likes to make me lots of clothes," she explained.

"A-ah." He hadn't moved his hand. Bo could feel a couple of his fingers touching her skin.

"You can snap it back up," she offered, trying hard not to laugh.

He didn't budge. Giving in, Bo laughed and turned around in his arms, looking over her left shoulder. She reached around to her back and guided his fingers in re-doing the tiny snap. "It's not so hard," she said quietly.

From behind her, Woody slid his hands to her waist and kissed the left side of her neck. She straightened, looking back at him. He stretched further and his lips found the sweet spot at the base of her chin. A chill of delight swept through her. She closed her eyes and leaned back into him. It was his sweet spot, no one else's.

Very slowly, Woody pulled himself away. When she opened her eyes again, he was gone. She turned to see him tip his hat to her on the windowsill. She blew him a kiss, and then he vanished into the night.


	12. Dress Up

_Disclaimer: As always, I don't own Pixar, An American Tale, Linda Ronstandt etc, etc..._

**Dress Up**

-2012-

_And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby_

_It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky_

_-Somewhere Out there_

Brown hair? What kind of idiot gives Little Bo Peep _brown_ hair?

Woody snorted disgustedly and flicked an eraser away with his boot. The moonlight was flooding the kitchen counter, and the wind was whistling longingly outside. The nice thing about Bonnie was that she slept like a rock; storms never bothered her. Strictly speaking, they didn't bother him either, but it was too noisy to sleep. He'd taken a stroll and decided to look through what Pam was taking with her to day care in the morning. Next to the large plastic bin full of craft supplies: yarn, glue sticks, rafia, and safety scissors, was a stack of coloring books that she'd collected from friends and neighbors. Donations. He had riffled through them until one in the middle of the pile had made him pause.

Staring up from the glossy cover of the coloring book was a terrible rendition of Little Bo Peep. She was sitting on a hillside, looking flustered and dismayed, crook dangling from her fingers. Her dress was all wrong; it was yellow, and had an enormous blue apron, making her look like Alice in Wonderland. And her hair was _brown_. Why _brown_?

Woody glared at the picture. It had never occurred to him that the world's idea of just what Bo was supposed to look like could be so varied. She was perfect just the way she was: blond curls, rosy cheeks, brilliant blue eyes, and a white and pink dress. "How on earth did they get you so wrong?" he muttered, and imagined he heard her chuckle beside him.

It had started again, that tape recorder inside his head. Three months and fifteen days since he'd seen her. And just like the first time he'd kept this long count in his head, he heard her voice in his ear, saying the things she would have if she were really standing beside him.

He knelt down and opened the book, flipping through the pages. Little Miss Muffet, Little Boy Blue...why were they all 'little?' Some of the pictures had streaks of marker or crayon across them where a toddler had scribbled, just to see what his crayon would do. And then, opposite the Muffin Man and sharing a page with the Three Men in a Tub, was Bo. The picture, heavily lined in dark ink so little children could learn to color in the lines, was still blank.

She was standing in a flock of sheep, bent sideways slightly to touch one of their heads. Unlike the cover, there was no apron covering her dress. Woody shrugged and pulled a box of crayons toward him. It wouldn't hurt, right?

The white crayon hadn't been used yet, so he started with it, lightly dusting the entire gown in the snowy absence of color. "You know," he said to the picture, "I'm not so sure I feel better or worse now that I've seen you again." He set down the white crayon and pulled out the pink. "I'd finally gotten used to the idea that you weren't coming back, and then suddenly..." He trailed off, biting his lip as he carefully traced light pink circles into the skirt. Seeing her again had overjoyed him. Holding her again, talking to her...it had been magical. But then.. "And then I _left_. Bo, why am I always such an idiot when it comes to you? Why didn't I bring you back with me?"

It was a question he didn't really want answered, he mused as he replaced the pink crayon and went for the yellow one. He had a feeling that she understood why he' done it, she always did know exactly why he was doing things, even when he didn't. But all the same, that pitiful _"Don't leave me," _she had whispered in his arms stabbed at him every few hours.

"But you said that wasn't goodbye," he said out loud, hoping that by vocalizing this point he would feel better. But what had she expected? That he could slip away from Bonnie's house anytime he wanted and come visit her? Bo knew he wasn't programed like that. Once he had an owner, he stuck to them like glue. It was hard-wired into him; his Prime Directive. Keep with your kid. And Bo was obviously attached to Ellie, and Ellie, unlike most college-aged girls, would notice and care if one of her dolls went missing.

Woody sighed and set down his crayon and looked at the girl who now approximated his darling Bo in appearance. "You just said that to make me feel better, didn't you? You knew perfectly well once I walked out of that room I couldn't come back." Her face, a little pale and lifeless on the page, continued to look down at the sheep. He studied it carefully, trying to animate it in his mind.

On impulse, he pulled the pink crayon back out of the box and gave her cheeks the slightest hint of blush, and then darkened her lips with it. He closed his eyes. "I didn't even kiss you properly, did I?"

Leaving that regret hanging vulnerably in midair, he fished for the blue crayon and very carefully gave her eyes that brightened, sparkling look they held when she was laughing. He hadn't kissed her on purpose. To acknowledge to her that he was missing her, hurting for her, lonely for her, was one thing. But to have kissed her would have been to commit to being there for her again.

The tape recorder in his mind turned on again. _I didn't kiss you either, remember?_

He frowned down at the picture. "No. No, I guess you didn't." He sat back and looked out the window at the bare trees thrashing in the wind. "I guess that means we're still looking out for each other, right?" he asked hopefully. This time no voice answered, but he remembered suddenly the feeling of her lips on his cheek; like the burning of a cattle brand. He gave a weary half-smile to the watching moon and sighed.

"I guess I'm pretty pathetic. Reduced to sitting here in the middle of the night talking to my girlfriend in my head."

The swaying trees seemed to be nodding their agreement.

She was fifteen minutes, and an eternity, away from him. If he were five feet taller with no pull string, he would have jogged across town and swept her away. But he wasn't. He couldn't leave Bonnie; she would worry, and the other toys would call him crazy.

"Crazy? They've never felt like this," he muttered. None of them, with the possible exception of Jessie, had felt such a nagging, disturbing ache cloying at them.

Woody mulled over his options. He could accept the fact, again, that he was never going to have her in his life. But doing that, knowing how physically close she was, might drive him crazy. Or, he could keep hoping that one day she'd walk back into his life. But hoping like that, against all hope and reason, wasn't a good idea either. It could drive him crazy too.

Neither were pleasant options. His head, stubborn and logical, told him that it would be safer to let her go again. But his heart, equally stubborn and not at all logical, told him that he should hold onto her.

Woody kissed his fingers and pressed them to the picture's face. "No, I told you forever." He closed his eyes and made his decision. "And forever is what I'm going to give you."

His head still contradicted him, but really, when it came to the important decisions, Woody had never let his head rule his heart.

_..._

_ "Okay, now don't panic," Ellie said, tongue between her teeth and scissors poised. "I'll sew some snaps on this in a minute and then we can try on your new dresses!"_

Everytime Ellie decided it was time to make her a new dress, Bo remembered the first time Ellie had taken a pair of scissors and carefully cut a slit down the back of her white and pink gown. It wasn't supposed to come off, but Ellie hadn't let that slow her down. Within three months of coming to live with Ellie, Bo had amassed a wardrobe that included a lavender prom dress, a buoyant wedding gown with a deep red sash, and as promised, a James Bond-esque little black dress. Bo had particularly liked the LBD with its plunging cowl neck and back, lack of sleeves, red lining, and seductively high slit. She had even more particularly enjoyed imagining Woody's reaction to it. Also, the permanent loss of her petticoats was thoroughly appreciated.

Ellie's workmanship on the dresses was incredible even when she was fourteen, and had gotten better and better. Over the years, she had had made fewer dresses as her time had been consumed by school, work, friends, dating, and eventually college, but she always came home and made a dress whenever she was feeling rotten. Bo was convinced that no matter how much Ellie liked the boy she was dating, or how nice watching a good chick flick felt, or how much she adored the little kids she was teaching, she was always going to fall back on sewing as her ballast.

"I've always wanted to do a saloon dress," Ellie grinned, setting Bo up next to her computer screen and calling up an image search. "And ever since seeing that adorable cowboy Andy used to have... I want something kinda sweet looking, but still a little bit spicy..." She twirled a lock of long hair around her finger as she scrolled down the screen. "Too much...way too much skin there... You're a lady, after all," she said, glancing down at Bo. "How about...that's a nice one..."

She continued in this vein for several more minutes, saving pictures from old western movies to a folder and then finally closing the browser. Bo ached to turn and look at the screen as Ellie dug in her desk drawer for her notepad and pencil. She resisted the urge, and was glad she had done so when Ellie surfaced a second later and pushed the keyboard away. She opened the folder of pictures she had selected, and after eyeing them carefully and looking at Bo thoughtfully, she began sketching.

"Burgundy, of course. Then some off the shoulder little sleeves...like from Beauty and the Beast...long and satin..."

When Ellie finally nodded and left the room nearly forty five minutes later, presumably to go to the fabric store, Bo stole a look at the sketch. It wasn't bad like she had feared. Most of the "saloon girl" dresses that she had been picturing in her mind looked scanty and unnecessarily ruffled. The dress that Ellie had sketched out was a floor length dress, which immediately knocked it out off the "saloon" category in Bo's mind. It had the afore-mentioned off the shoulder sleeves and a deep neckline that could only flatter and entice. The back of the dress was a deep V cut that would reach nearly to her waist and be covered only by a layer of "Spanish lace." Bo smiled. She was imagining the astonished look Woody's eyes would have if he ever saw her in it.

...

Two days later, Ellie was tugging at the skirt there, fluffing up a bit of lace there, and smiling broadly at her handiwork. "Mary, you'd knock James West and Artemus Gordon off their feet," she said happily. She picked Bo up and held her up in front of the mirror. "I am definitely going to show you to Andy when he comes over tonight. He's heard about my sewing forever, but now that we've started looking at rings and I'm threatening to make my own wedding dress, I should probably introduce you." She laughed and put Bo back onto her lamp, now looking hopelessly out of place. "I've gotta go take a shower now, don't let Harpo, Zeppo, and Chico fall off the dresser!"

A couple of minutes later, Ellie left, and her sheep, now named after three of the Marx brothers, bleated appreciatively.

Bo grinned and looked down at the dress. "I love it! And did you hear what she said about Andy? He's finally going to know where we are!" She knelt down in front of her sheep and hugged them. "Zeppo" nipped playfully at her nose. "You'd love to have other toys to play with again, wouldn't you?" she asked, petting his head. All three of them nodded their heads and wagged their tails.

The four of them had been quietly nursing a hope that once Ellie and Andy realized that she was Bo Peep and not Mary, and that she had been with all the other toys that were now at Bonnie's house, that perhaps Ellie would find it in her heart to reunite them. It was a long shot, but it was too tempting to not think of.

Bo stood back up and looked down at her bare shoulders cradled in the burgundy sleeve-lettes that surrounded her upper arms. She craned her neck around to appreciate the overlay of fine black lace spilling down the back waist of the gown and floating suggestively from the hemline. One of the things Bo loved about most of Ellie's dresses was that the skirt was never too full. Her original hoop skirt had always made her feel slightly awkward and clumsy. Dresses like this one -she ran her fingers down the waist, smiling – had a very slimming affect. She had a nice figure; why shouldn't she show it off? And especially since Woody had boxed up the Combat Carls next door, Bo was happy to get dolled up in something a little more formal than her white and pink dress.

Across the hallway, the shower was running. Bo carefully laid down on the lamp base and her sheep gently bumped her head. She closed her eyes and petted them, scratching them under their chins the way Jessie had used to. And as always, when she closed her eyes now, she saw Woody. She was so tantalizingly _close_ to him that at times it was unbearable. Their chance meeting four months ago had brought every dimmed and brittle hope back to life. He was all right. He was still with his friends. He had Andy still, in a distant sort of way. And now he knew that he still had her. They were fifteen minutes away from each other, and had been for the past nearly eight years, without ever knowing it.

She opened her eyes and looked past her sheep towards the window. "I think he'd like this one, don't you guys?" she asked them absently. Harpo nudged her and bleated happily.

...

"All right, Andy...I know you're terrified of the idea that I want to make my own wedding dress-"

Bo heard Andy's laughter, now much deeper, in the hallway.

"But you really don't have anything to worry about! I want to show you Mary."

The bedroom door opened and the light flickered on. Ellie crossed the room and plucked Bo from her lamp and held her up for Andy to see. Recognition flickered briefly in his eyes.

"This is Mary; she's my model. I just made this dress; it's called the "Stagecoach Special." She handed Bo to Andy, who squinted and ran a finger over the dress, as if trying to decide if remembering why the toy looked familiar was more important that evaluating his girlfriend's sewing skills.

"Wow...that's incredible, Ellie."

Ellie opened the Barbie doll wardrobe on the dresser and began pulling out other dresses. "You really don't have to worry about my dress looking dumb or homemade or anything." She held up the little black dress. "The Mazzerati Martini." Andy smiled and took it from her. Ellie held up a white, draping dress. "Pompeii."

She continued handing Andy the dresses until he was forced to sit down on her bed and spread them out. He kept looking curiously at Bo. "And what's this dress called again?" he asked, indicating the the one she had on.

"The Stagecoach Special. I actually made it because of your Woody doll."

Andy's face tightened slightly as Ellie continued. "I thought he was so cute, and it got me in the mood to watch a bunch of old Westerns, and Mary was looking kinda bored with her regular dress, so I made that for her."

A slow smile was spreading across Andy's face. "And what's her original dress?"

Ellie pulled the white and pink shepherdess's frock from the wardrobe and held it up.

Andy stood up and took the dress, then held both out to Ellie, a genuine grin on his face. "Ellie, I'd like to introduce you to Bo Peep."

Ellie smiled. "Bo Peep?"

"Yeah! Molly had a Little Bo Peep growing up, and she sold her at a garage sale when I was about fifteen. She was part of a lamp"

Ellie touched Bo's dress. "I got her at a garage sale when I was fourteen. She's got to be the same doll." She laughed, her eyes widening with disbelief. "She was Molly's?"

Andy was laughing too. "She's got to be. I've never seen another one." He turned Bo around eagerly. "I used to play with her when I was really little; she actually had a crush on Woody."

Ellie squealed with delight. "You mean I've had her all these years, and..." she trailed off. "It's a small world!"

Andy nodded enthusiastically. "And you can make your wedding dress if you want, Ellie, these are gorgeous dresses. This one is awesome."

Ellie took Bo and grinned mischievously. "Do you think Woody would like it?"

Andy laughed. "I'm sure he would. At least Bo would keep him busy so you would stop spending all your time gushing over him and pay more attention to me."

Ellie pulled Andy back into the hallway, still holding Bo. "We should give Bo to Bonnie! That is...if you don't mind."

Andy shook his head. "Why should I mind? She's yours now, not mine."

Ellie grinned and looked at Bo. "We should make up a story to tell Bonnie about how Bo was kidnapped from your room or something."

"That sounds like fun. Let's get some food and figure it out, okay?"

"Cool!"

Sitting on the table watching Ellie and Andy making omelettes, Bo couldn't help but grin a little wider than usual. _She was going home_.

...

_Bo's mind was brimful of Woody, and shining thoughts of home and friends. In her reverie, the wood floor was sun-drenched and smooth, stretching warm and long across her reality. She could hear a video game somewhere above her: Rex was still bravely struggling through the Water Temple that had defeated both Hamm and Buzz. She could smell peanut butter; it was a scent that children and their bedrooms never quite lost, and in her mind it was punctuated by the more mature smell of chicken salad: mom's favorite. She heard yodeling and laughter, accompanied by the stampede of half a dozen tiny feet as Bullseye chased Jessie around the room. _

_ In the bright morning sunlight of her daydream, white and yellow light glinted off of the desk above her and the silhouettes of Woody and Buzz, deep in conversation, loomed larger than life as she squinted up at them. In her mind's eye, the tall, lanky image turned to look down at her. "Hi, Bo!"_

The knob on Ellie's door bounced off the wall plate and Bo froze back into position, letting the imaginary sunlight linger in her eyes, where she still saw Woody.

"What do you think, Bo? Do you think he'll ask soon?" Ellie asked Bo excitedly as she tossed the plastic wrappings of a package of tissue paper in the trash can. "He's had nearly two weeks."

On the dresser, clad still in the Stagecoach Special, Bo kept her face aloof and demure. Of course Ellie was only concerned with one thing: _when _was Andy going to propose? Ellie had been so excited when they'd picked out the ring that she had actually taken pains to show Bo a picture of it taken on her cell phone. Inwardly, Bo smiled. Maybe Andy would ask tomorrow, when he and Ellie gave her to Bonnie.

Ellie laughed at herself and moved to the wall beside the dresser and unplugged the lamp. "You don't care, you're just happy you get to see Woody tomorrow, aren't you?" she teased, pulling her and the sheep off the lamp and submerging it in a large box that already had Bo's blue wardrobe in it.

As the tissue paper in the box rustled, Bo smiled. "You've got that right," she murmured softly, remembering her previous distraction.

Ellie froze. Bo groaned to herself and forced her mind back into the present. After how many years of talking to Ellie, she couldn't have finally heard her, could she?

Ellie straightened up, pulling down her undershirt around her hips and frowning at her. "Bo?" She wasn't one to hear things, nor to believe in silly superstitions, but neither was she one to doubt her senses.

Bo didn't move, and watched Ellie remained motionless for several moments through glassy eyes. Then Ellie approached the dresser and examined her without touching. After a long silence had passed, Ellie must have decided she'd imagined it, because she picked the sheep up and stowed them in the box, and then brought out a purple gift bag, stuffed with tissue. She picked Bo up.

"I am going to miss you," she said. Ellie had talked to her for years, but at the moment of parting, her pragmatism kicked back in and she seemed shy. Bo wished she could offer her friend a smile at least, to thank her for keeping her safe, and being a good companion. "It's not just anyone who would let someone chose their entire wardrobe," Ellie continued. "So I guess that makes us friends." She smiled and smoothed the lacy dress she had made. "Bonnie is a sweet girl; she'll take good care of you. Besides, you're made for little girls, not big ones."

Ellie laughed and set her back on the dresser, then put the gift bag on the floor below her. "Maybe we'll watch _Sense and Sensibility_, Bo." She crossed to the bookshelf and retrieved a DVD. "A last girl's night out – bachelorette party or something, you know?"

Half an hour later, Ellie was safely engrossed in the travails of Eilnore and Marianne, and Bo let a smile slide onto her face. She would miss Ellie – her chattering, her music, movies, and sewing. She'd miss Zack poking his head around her door and teasing Ellie. She'd even miss Ellie's mother, who would smile and run a finger over every new dress Ellie made for her, then nod her approval. Of all the places she could have ended up, Ellie's room was a haven, and she was incredibly grateful to the powers that were that she had come here. And now, even more blessedly, she could leave and go back to Woody.

It felt as it should. A bittersweet feeling at leaving her owner, and an excited spark in her chest that flitted around anxiously, waiting for Woody and her other friends. That night after Ellie had turned off the lights and fallen asleep, Bo walked to the edge of the dresser and peered down at the woman. "Thank you, Ellie," she whispered.

"No problem," came the reply through Ellie's soft, even breaths.


	13. Giants and Ice Cream

**Giants and Ice Cream**

-July 2012-

_You'll never know how many dreams I've dreamed about you,_

_Or just how empty they all seemed without you,_

_So kiss me once_

_Then kiss me twice, _

_Then kiss me once again_

_It's been a long, long time._

_-Long, Long Time (Bing Crosby)_

Woody was sitting on the windowsill when Andy's car pulled up to the curb. He grinned and turned back to the room. "Hey guys, Andy and Ellie are here!"

Andy had been coming over more often, now that Bonnie thought Ellie was the coolest person in the universe. Woody should have gotten down and back into place on the bookshelf where Bonnie had left him pretending to repel off a sandstone cliff to reach a band of Indians, but instead he crept closer to the window. Ellie pulled a large gift bag out of the back of the car and handed it to Andy, then reached back in and pulled out a cardboard box.

Bonnie bounced out the front door. Through the glass, Woody heard a, "What'ja bring me, Ellie?"

"I brought you a friend; I think you'll like her."

Her_?_ Could it had to be? It just had to be. He wasn't sure he could deal with it not being her... He'd never forgive Ellie if it wasn't. _Calm down, Woody. One way or another, you'll live, _he reminded himself, forcing his head to take over.

"How 'bout you go get Woody and his friends and bring them downstairs?"

Bonnie turned and ran back into the house, and her hammering footsteps running up the stairs echoed through the room.

"Woody, get down here!" Jessie shouted from the bookshelf.

Outside, Ellie shifted the cardboard box in her arms and followed Andy towards the front door. She turned for a moment to look at a bird playing in the sprinklers, and Woody saw the tell-tale blue and green top of a lamp that he knew all too well.

He gasped. "Really?" he whispered to himself, putting his hand to the warm window. He wanted it so badly to be true he almost couldn't believe it.

"Now!" Jessie hissed.

Automatically, Woody hurled himself off the windowsill and hit the floor. Jessie glared at him for a second as the door opened, and then Bonnie was picking them up, grabbing Buzz from the bed, and running back out of the room. Woody's hat jolted on his head as Bonnie jumped the last four steps (she had attempted five yesterday and had a vivid green and brown bruise on her shin to show for it) and stumbled into the living room.

Andy and Ellie were sitting on the rug with baby Cameron, who was making eyes at Ellie. The gift bag, purple paper overflowing its rim, was next to them. Woody couldn't see the box.

As was customary, Bonnie handed him to Andy.

"Hey, Woody," Andy greeted him, a smile coming to his face.

It didn't matter how long he belonged to Bonnie, Woody would always feel like he was just on loan to her. He loved her, had fun with her, was amused by the differences in little girl's play versus boys', but he first and foremost loved Andy. Contrary to what most of the toys thought, forming the sort of parental attachment he had with him had taken a while. For a long time, he had held on to the memory of Wayne. It had been about six months after Wayne's passing that Woody had finally felt like he belonged with Andy. It was funny; it wasn't long after that that Andy had written his name on Woody's boot. It was faded and covered in places with paint, but it wasn't wearing off, it was wearing _in._

Andy grinned and passed him to Ellie, who giggled and adjusted his sheriff's badge. "You ready for this?" she asked. Woody wasn't sure who she was talking to. But Andy took a long look around the room, at Bonnie's parents in the kitchen doorway, and nodded.

"I think I am."

...

For just a moment, Andy Davis felt slightly awkward. Twenty-two years old, accepted to graduate school, and practically engaged, he was kneeling on the living room rug in Bonnie Austen's house in front of a grinning 9-year-old. He and Ellie were going to tell Bonnie a story.

Andy glanced at his girlfriend. She was kneeling next to him, the bag full of purple tissue paper near her knee, and Bonnie's baby brother Cameron giggling on his back in front of her, waving a tiny fist. Ellie grinned and cooed at the little boy, tickling his sides and making beeping noises as she gently poked his nose. Cameron squealed in delight, his little legs thrashing. Bonnie was sitting Indian style behind Cameron, watching Ellie's playful moves with evident delight and worship. Ellie was a natural with kids. It was just one of the things Andy loved about her.

In his pocket, the little black box he had been carrying now for a week seemed to burn. If everything went well with the story, and Bonnie liked her new toy, then maybe, maybe the moment would feel right.

"Are you gonna tell me what you got me now?" Bonnie asked somewhat shrilly. Andy had watched her grow up over the past seven years from a shy little toddler to a precocious young girl. But no matter how bossy or gregarious she had become, she was still a loving caretaker of his toys. Last Christmas, when he had brought Ellie to meet her, Bonnie had whispered in his ear that when he married Ellie and had kids, he could have his toys back.

Andy drew a deep breath and fixed a grin on his face and focused on Woody, now held tightly in Bonnie's arms. For a moment, he remembered the feel of the doll's cool plastic hands on his fingers, and the way his pull string fit perfectly in the crook of his index finger. He felt calmer, focusing on Woody, and nodded to Bonnie.

"Ellie and I came here to tell you and Woody a very special story. It's kind of long, because it started when I was in junior high."

"You're a bit old," Bonnie accused.

Andy and Ellie laughed. "I am, aren't I?" he asked genially.

"But some of the best stories are old," Ellie added, winking at Bonnie. "In fact, this one starts a long, long time ago, in the days of the Wild West."

Bonnie settled herself and clasped Woody expectantly in front of her. Ellie glanced and Andy and nodded. And just as they had rehearsed it, Andy began.

"A long time ago, in the days of the Wild West, Woody was the proud sheriff of Davis City."

"That's your name!"

"That's right, Bonnie," Andy said, nodding his head. Ellie had warned there would be multiple interruptions. "That's because I was the mayor of Davis City, and Woody was my sheriff. He kept all the toys safe-"

"From the Evil Dr. Porkchop!"

Andy laughed at how much Bonnie had remembered from when she was four. "Yes."

"Is he in this story a lot? Maybe I should go get him so he can hear better."

Andy reached out and put a hand on the girl's knee as she started to rise. "I think maybe just these guys need to hear this story." She pointed to Jessie and Buzz who were propped up against the couch.

Bonnie the Perpetual Motion Machine stilled. "Okay. So Woody was the sheriff..."

"Right." For a moment, Andy wondered how on earth Ellie taught elementary school all day and stayed sane. "Anyway, Woody, as you know, was the perfect cowboy."

Ellie giggled slightly and struck in on cue, brushing her dark bangs out of her way. "He was handsome, chivalrous, brave, and daring. He was everyone's hero." Ellie leaned forward and adjusted Woody's hat. Andy chuckled to himself. Only Ellie would admit openly to thinking Woody was handsome. Only Ellie.

"And every hero," Ellie continued, her smile growing brighter, "has a beautiful girl that loves him. Woody had a beautiful girl like that. Her name was Bo Peep, and she helped Jessie -" Elllie pointed to where Jessie sat near Buzz, "take care of all the critters in the town. Bo had a flock of sheep all her own that followed her everywhere."

As she spoke, Ellie's voice modulated pleasantly, and Andy watched in astonishment as Bonnie calmed and rested her chin on Woody's hat. Then he cleared his throat and took over. "Woody and Bo were madly in love, Bonnie. They went everywhere together, and Woody always rescued her from Dr. Pork Chop, and any other evil villains around. Bo knew she was safe with Woody." And leaned up to Bonnie's face and pitched his voice dramatically. "Until the giant came."

Bonnie, almost too old for stories with giants in them, actually recoiled and grasped Woody hard. "Did the giant get Bo?" she gasped, wide-eyed.

Andy sat back and nodded sadly. "It was a terrible day for Woody. The giant was so tall and so strong, that not even he, with all his friends, could stop the giant woman who came into the city."

"Not even Buzz? Buzz can fly, and he has a laser!"

"Not even Buzz could help his friend. He and Woody watched, devastated, as the giant woman took Bo and her sheep and carried them away."

Without missing a beat, Ellie jumped in. "The giant carried Bo far away from Davis City. She didn't stop until she met up with a bunch of other giants at a huge marketplace. The giant wanted to sell Bo as a slave to another giant for money so she could go on a cruise to Mexico."

"That's terrible," Bonnie fussed, jumping slightly and knocking Woody's hat to the ground. She spun the cowboy around to face her. "What did you do? You went after the giant, right?"

Ellie reached out and picked up Woody's hat. "You'll have to listen and find out, Bonnie." She replaced the hat on Woody's head and nodded. "Ready?"

Bonnie sighed and nodded. "But then can I see what's in the bag?"

Ellie laughed. "Soon!"

Taking his opportunity, Andy continued the story. "Luckily for Bo, Ellie was also at the giant's marketplace that day. Ellie is very special, you see, because she had a fairy godmother when she was little. Her fairy godmother was very clever, and she taught Ellie how to trick giants."

Ellie smiled over at Andy for a second. "When I saw that the giant had captured Bo, I was determined to help her. I asked the giant what she planned to do with Bo. She said that she wanted to sell her to make money for a cruise. But she didn't want human money, she wanted gold. Lucky for me, my fairy godmother had taught me a spell to make quarters look like gold."

At this point in the performance, Ellie extracted a quarter from her right pocket and handed it to Bonnie. "It's just a quarter, right?" she asked.

"Yup. From Delaware," Bonnie confirmed. "It was one of the thirteen original colonies, wasn't it?

"Wow, you're smart!" Ellie enthused. "The giant wanted three pieces of gold for Bo, so I reached into my pocket and muttered the spell, and told the giant I could give her special chocolate gold." Ellie reached into her pocket again and extracted several chocolate coins. "It tricked her, so I grabbed Bo and ran!"

Andy took one of the pieces of gold from Ellie and continued. "Meanwhile, Woody became very depressed. But he's a tough cowboy, and he knew that everyone else was looking up to him, so he put on a brave smile and did the best he could. But everyday he missed Bo, and wondered what had happened to her.

Bo, though, was perfectly safe with Ellie. Ellie took her to her house and kept her hidden in her room from the giants. She talked to Bo and her sheep every day, and loved them very much."

"But it was sad, Bonnie," Ellie said, shaking her head. "I don't speak the same language as toys do, so I couldn't find out where Bo belonged. She seemed happy with me, and I knew she was safe, and I loved her, but I couldn't help thinking she was lonely."

"And then one day, I went to Ellie's house," Andy said. He felt his grin becoming genuine. The shock it had been to see Bo! "And there she was – Bo! Ellie had been calling her Mary, so I told her her real name, and that that Bo had lived in Davis City when I was a child, and that she had been in love with Woody."

"I couldn't stand for them to be apart," Ellie said, "so Andy and I decided to ask you -" she slid the bag around Cameron to Bonnie, "if you would mind taking care of another toy for us."

Bonnie licked her lips and handed Woody to Ellie, who handed him off to his previous owner in order to better supervise the unwrapping. Andy took a deep breath as he watched Bonnie pulling the tissue paper out of the bag.

Time seemed to stand still. There were Bonnie and Cameron, two sweet little kids that he'd grown rather fond of. Seeing them made him wish that some day he would have fun kids to play with. Woody had belonged to his dad, and Andy was determined to pass him along to his son. Woody was just part of the family. And as for who the mother of those kids would be... And sneaked a glance as the woman who had been his girlfriend for the past two years, and felt the ringbox burning in his pocket.

Bonnie's delighted shriek ripped into Andy's thoughts. "Oh, she's so pretty!"

Andy grinned as Bonnie pulled Bo lovingly from the tissue paper-filled box and held her close. "Careful, she's porcelain, Bonnie. She'll break very easily."

Bonnie held Bo up to the light and ran her fingers over the doll's burgundy dress. Ellie smiled and crawled around Cameron to reach Bonnie. "She's lived in my room since I was fourteen. I was going to give her to my sister when she had her first girl, but she lost the baby."

Bonnie frowned and looked at Ellie, then back at Bo. "Little Bo Peep doesn't wear western dresses."

Ellie chuckled. "I made her a bunch of clothes. This dress is called the Stagecoach Special. Don't you think Woody's girlfriend should have a pretty western dress?"

Bonnie smiled and held Bo towards Andy and Woody. "Yes. Woody, did you miss me?" she made the doll bob slightly.

Andy held Woody up, ready to make him talk. He swore the doll's hand tightened around his finger for a moment.

"Oh Andy, make him be polite," Ellie whispered.

"Right!" Andy made Woody doff his hat and hold it to his cloth chest. "It's... umm..." Andy frowned and looked at Ellie. "What would Woody say at this point?"

Ellie smiled shrewdly and looked from Andy to Bonnie. "Bonnie?"

Little children were marvelous. No pride, no inhibitions, and no embarrassment. Bonnie passed Bo to Ellie with a, "Hold her still, like this," and then took the hatless sheriff from Andy. She opened the cowboy dolls arms wide and wrapped them around the porcelain doll. "He would give her a big hug because he hasn't seen her in years, and then she would kiss him all over his cheek like this -" Bonnie turned Bo's head and demonstrated -"and then he would swing her around in the air like daddy does me when he comes home at night." Bonnie pulled Bo from Ellie's hands and made Woody gently swing her in a circle.

Andy sat back and smiled contentedly. Yes, that was exactly what Woody and Bo would have done, all those years ago, in his room. Then, without planning it, without thinking how silly it might be, Andy held out his hands. "Bonnie, do you think I could borrow Woody for a minute?"

Bonnie held back. "But he's celebrating!"

Andy smiled. "It's really important."

Bonnie relented and passed the cowboy back to Andy. Andy put his hat back on and made Woody face Ellie. Summoning up his best Woody voice, Andy started. "Miss Ellie, thank you for taking care of Bo for me." Andy swung Woody up to Ellie's cheek and made him kiss her.

Ellie laughed and grinned widely at Woody. "You're very welcome. If there's ever anything I can do for such a handsome cowboy, you just let me know."

Andy cleared his throat and did his Woody voice again. "Actually, miss, there is something you can do. You see, one of my favorite deputies, Andy, is feeling kinda lonely, just like I was. And since you seem to like me better than him" -Andy withdrew the black ringbox from his pocket and settled Woody down on one knee, taking off his hat - "I thought maybe I'd ask you something for him."

Ellie's eyes, always star-like, seemed to blaze, and she gasped. "Andy, you... really?" Her voice cracked with excitement.

Bonnie's eyes grew huge, and she suddenly yelled at the top of her lungs, "Mom! Dad! Andy is asking Ellie to marry him and Woody!"

At this mixed-up pronouncement, Andy and Ellie both burst out laughing. Bonnie's parents had made it from the kitchen to the living room by the time Andy had got enough air to continue.

Breathing through a stitch in his side, tears of mirth crowding his eyes, Andy took a deep breath and plunged on, opening the box. "Thanks Woody, I'll take it from here." He handed Woody back to a giggling , whirling Bonnie and Bo, and held the ring up. "Ellie, will you marry me?"

Ellie giggled. "What? I can't marry Woody?"

"Woody's got someone, silly," Bonnie shouted gleefully, holding the two dolls up together.

"Well...all right then..." Ellie lunged forward and hugged Andy. "Of course!"

Bonnie's parents clapped and the newly engaged couple clambered up from the rug, Ellie swooping back down again to pick up the worming baby. Bonnie's mom crossed the room and took Cameron and hugged Ellie. Bonnie's father shook Andy's hand. "Well done, Andy, well done."

Andy reached for Ellie's hand and smiled. "Thanks."

"Well, young man, aren't you going to kiss her?" Ellie's mom demanded, bouncing Cameron on her hip.

Feeling quite flushed and somewhat embarrassed, Andy dipped Ellie over and kissed her to raucous applause and a, "_There's a snake in my boot!"_

This pronouncement from Woody caused the couple to splutter and break up. After the laughter had died down, Bonnie's mother took Andy and Ellie by the elbows. "I don't see any giants around, but I do have half a gallon of cookie dough ice cream in the freezer, and I think we should celebrate!"

"Yes!" Bonnie shouted, and sat Woody and Bo up side by side on the couch and followed her mother into the kitchen, with everyone else behind her.

There was silence and stillness for several seconds on the couch as the sounds of bowls clattering and chairs scraping on tile filtered down the hall.

"'_There's a snake in my boot?_' Is that really the best you can do, Woody?" Bo teased, turning her head to look down at Woody.

He stared at the couch for a moment, smiling to himself, then stood up. "I didn't hear you doing any better," he said and winked. "So this is one of those dresses Ellie made for you?"

Bo smiled. "This is the dress she made me after she met you," she answered. "What do you think?"

"After she met me?"

Bo turned around slowly, letting him look. She noticed his eyes followed the lace back of her dress thoughtfully. "One custom-made 1860's western dress for Woody's girl."

He let out a long, slow breath, considering. Finally, his eyes met hers. "I'll tell you what I think."

The sensation of his mouth against hers sent a shock through her system that she hadn't felt in ages. Desire surged through her and she reached for him.

"Uhh, Woody? Can we come up?" Buzz voice registered dimly in Bo's ears. She ignored it and laced her fingers together behind Woody's neck.

Woody drew back for a moment and turned his head, thoroughly distracted. Not this time. "Go away," he hollered, and continued where he had left off.

"I think they're busy," Buzz's voice said somewhere below them.

"Of course they are, you loony space toy! Leave them alone."

Bo curled her fingers around Woody's neckerchief and held on, feeling the couch fabric brushing against her bare neck and shoulders, and letting the sweet pulling of Woody's lips penetrate her. She hoped that ice cream would take a _very_ long time.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I started writing this story with the intent to get Woody and Bo back together, but somewhere along the way it graduated into something bigger. Essentially it's what I believe it takes for two people to commit to each other and then keep it together, literally forever, which I believe is completely possible. So, now that Woody and Bo are in the same place again, if you'll stick with me, let's find out how they keep it together.


	14. Home is Where the Marshmallows Are

**Home is Where the Marshmallows Are**

"_I'm the one who said that I would love you 'till forever and I will." -Dean Martin, I Will_

"Tell me everything. I want to know everything you've been doing for the past eight years." Woody leaned attentively on his hands and looked expectantly at Bo.

She laughed. "That would take eight years."

"I've got the time."

Bo smiled at the cowboy lying on his stomach next to her lamp. He honestly hadn't stopped smiling for the past twenty four hours. He'd let everyone else in Bonnie's room welcome her, hug her, and introduce themselves while he stood a few paces away with a distinctly triumphant grin. He'd been patient as the hours with the other toys, and then with Bonnie, had wore on, and now that Bonnie and her family had left for Sunday dinner and a sleepover with the grandparents, he had her all to himself. She was actually quite flattered that he wanted to talk to her rather than anything else.

"Not eight year's worth. And then you'd need another eight to tell me everything. Besides, you've been with other toys. I'm sure your story is much more exciting."

He shook his head. "Eh. You first. Come on, tell me what happened when you got to Ellie's house."

Bo looked down to the floor and saw her sheep playing with Bullseye and the Peas in a Pod. They were incredibly happy to have someone to play with. "Ellie took me in her room, put me on her dresser, left, and thirty seconds later the Combat Carls were staring at me."

Woody grimaced. "I hope you knocked some sense into them."

Bo laughed. "I don't think it's possible to knock sense _into_ them, but I did knock them _senseless_."

"That's my girl."

She held out her hand to him and he sat up and took it. "And then I was very lonely and utterly bored for a long time. Ellie was going to give me to her niece, but her sister lost the baby. So she kept me." She sighed and shook her head. "I was so miserable without you and everyone else. I was used to having constant commotion and things going on. Going from Andy's house with dozens of other toys and kids to Ellie's room with no one but her and her parents and brother- Woody, I thought I'd go crazy."

Woody squeezed her hand.

"I was so used to having you around; I think I kept talking to you for months afterwards."

He smiled sadly at her. "I felt like I had a tape recorder in my head that kept playing back things you'd said to me."

She nodded. "I finally decided I had to do something to distract myself or I'd go crazy."

"What did you do?"

She laughed and blushed. "I read Ellie's diary."

He laughed out loud. "You what?"

She ducked her head. "I was such a snoop. But she was all I had, so I started watching her closer than her parents did. I knew everything she was doing, and everyone she hung out with, and what she thought about everything. And when that wasn't enough to keep me occupied all day, I started reading all of her books."

"Wow."

Bo sighed and looked at the ceiling. "That worked really well for a long time, until the Christmas her mother gave her the complete works of Jane Austen."

"Who?"

She laughed and pushed his shoulder. "She wrote _Pride and Prejudice_ and a lot of other amazing stories."

Woody looked a bit embarrassed. "I've _heard _of that book. Isn't it like a chick flick or something?"

Bo pretended to be affronted. "_Pride and Prejudice _is arguably the best romance written since _Romeo and Juliet_."

"Oh. Right."

She smiled at him. "And it completely undid me again. Lots of Austen's characters go through a period of being totally alone and at the mercy of society and other people - I fit right in. Except they all got a happy ending, and I was convinced I wasn't going to get any such thing." She reached for him with her other hand and looked at him, savoring the fact that he was simply _there_.

"Buzz had to pull out all the stops to finally make me realize I could somehow get on with my life," Woody said quietly.

Bo considered carefully for a moment, trying to remember when she had finally picked up and moved on. "I...I eventually realized that I could let it tear me up until I couldn't think anymore. It would have been so easy to just give in permanently; no one needed me."

Woody looked down at the lamp, evidently remembering his own dark moments.

"But – I needed myself, I guess. I didn't want to be depressed or lonely, so I decided to stop. I wasn't throwing anything away, I was focusing on what I had."

"And what did you have?" he asked, still looking at the lamp and their enjoined hands.

"I had Ellie, I had the ability to make her happy, and I had hundreds of sweet, sweet memories."

Woody looked up at her and the smile started to find his face again. She leaned up to him and kissed his forehead. "I remembered the cowboy who loves me so true."

"You heard me?" he asked softly, his eyes glowing.

She nodded. "I must have. I had that song in my head hundreds of times over the years without realizing why, until that day I saw you again on Ellie's Facebook page. I...remembered a lot of things that day that I hadn't let myself think about in a long time. And it came to me. I remembered falling asleep with you, and waking up and hearing you. It hurt when I realized what was happening, so I went back to sleep."

Woody tilted his head and kissed her sweetly. His breath was warm against her chin when he spoke. "I hoped I had given you something. I felt so helpless that night. I wanted to make it all stop...but I couldn't." For a moment he simply held her close to his face, then recalled something he'd wanted to say for several years. "I wanted to thank you...for _not _telling me you were leaving."

She glanced at him in surprise. She'd almost forgotten whatever logic it was that had lead her to that decision.

"That week wouldn't have been so...incredible," he smiled, "if I'd have known it was going to the last."

They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes. Bo ran her thumb over his fingers, letting herself settle into her new surroundings. She had been aching for months to be here, and aching for years before that to be with Woody. Now that she had both of those things, she felt slightly overwhelmed.

"I can't believe I'm really here," she murmured aloud.

"Neither can I."

"It's as though I've been so used to the universe telling me I have to be alone and quiet, that this is all a cruel trick."

"If I wake up tomorrow and you're not here, I'm going right over to Ellie's house to get you," Woody said firmly, smiling at her.

"You'd better. I'll be expecting you." She ran her thumb over his hand again, and remembered something. "I've meant to tell you – the way you said goodbye all those years ago... It was very – gallant. I felt very flattered when you said it had been an honor to be with me."

Woody squeezed her hands tightly. "Are you kidding? I knew I was the luckiest toy in the world to have you." He shook his head reminiscently. "You put up with so much from me."

"I didn't put up with a thing. I'm lucky that you're still here. Look at all the Barbies and dolls that Bonnie has, Woody. I wouldn't have blamed you in the slightest if you'd gotten involved with one of them."

He stared at her. "You know, it never even occurred to me."

"To find someone else?"

"Yeah. I decided you needed someone, but I never felt like I needed to find someone new. I said forever, didn't I?"

Bo bowed her head. "Thank you."

Woody stroked her chin for a moment, looking very contented. "I've missed you so much, sweetheart." He ran his fingers over her lips.

She chuckled and intertwined her hand with his, kissing it. "I'm sure you've kept busy. How did you guys end up here anyway?"

Woody took a deep breath. "Now that _is _a long story, actually."

"I've got the time," she said, grinning.

Woody nodded and settled himself Indian style in front of her, still holding her hands. She leaned forward on her elbows to listen to him and watch his expressive face. What he told her was a story that rivaled anything that had happened to him in the past. Getting tortured by Sid didn't come close. Escaping from the toy collector, Al, and rescuing Jessie from the airplane paled in comparison. By the time he got to the part about he and everyone else being trapped in an incinerator, Bo found herself clutching his hands so tightly that he actually stopped talking.

"Whoa, down girl!" he laughed, pulling his hands away. "We got out, obviously."

"How?" she asked weakly.

Woody shook his hands out and slid them around her ankles so she couldn't squeeze them anymore. "The Claw."

"The Claw?"

"The LGMs had run off earlier; I thought they'd gotten run over by a machine, but they hadn't. They found a machine with – a claw... and pulled us out."

"They saved your lives."

He smiled. "And we are eternally grateful.

"So am I," she whispered.

Apparently sensing that he shouldn't pursue the story any further at present, he changed the subject. "Tell me about these clothes Ellie made for you."

Grateful, Bo nodded. "She started making them when she was fourteen, and she's gotten better and better over the years. But... I really hated the first one."

"What was that?"

She shuddered, recalling. "A lavender prom dress with a _huge _princess skirt."

He laughed. "And why did you hate it?"

"The color, the skirt. I know I came with one," she brushed a hand over her burgundy dress, "but I really can't stand big skirts. You can't move in them."

"You never complained before. And I liked that dress," he said, looking at her appraisingly.

"I couldn't complain before, I didn't have anything else." She looked him in the eye. "And I think I have a few other dresses that you'd probably like more."

"Mmm." His eyebrows twitched. "Do I ever get to see them?"

"I'm sure that could be arranged."

"I'll hold you to it."

"Don't worry," she said, thinking about the little black dress in the Barbie wardrobe, "You'll get to." She winked.

They settled again into silence, with Woody absently poking at her shoes and ankles. Suddenly, he sat up very straight, frowning. "Bo, where are..." He swallowed, a bit embarrassed.

She grinned and leaned to look at his face better. "My petticoats?"

"Ye-yeah."

"I made sure Ellie didn't find them again after she took them off."

"Why?"

"I was sick of them."

His eyes were wide, and he nodded slowly. Bo could see the puzzle pieces in his mind falling together. She ran a finger around his chin and he shuddered. "You hold on to that train of thought, cowboy," she murmured.

"Yes ma'am," he said quietly, avoiding her eyes.

She giggled and changed the subject. "Are you still ticklish?"

"Huh?"

"I asked if you were still ticklish." Bo danced her fingers around on his side and he pulled away, twitching.

"Yes, yes...just..." He stopped and looked at her, all business. "Are _you_?"

Before she could answer, he was tickling her stomach and sides and she was shrieking and gasping for air. When he finally stopped, she found herself cradled in his arms, lying across his lap.

"Hey, be quiet up there!" Potato Head shouted up from the floor.

"Forget it!" Woody hollered back good-naturedly. "They can put up with it, right?" he asked her.

"Absolutely." She snuggled into his chest. "I've missed this," she said.

"So have I." He laid down and pulled her next to him, kissing her forehead. "Do you feel at home here yet?" he asked quietly.

She shrugged. "Not yet. It's only been two days, Woody. I feel at home with _you_, but not _here_."

He traced her face. "I hope you still feel at home with me a in a few months," he said worriedly.

"What do you mean?"

He sighed. "I mean right now we're so happy to see each other that we don't see any of the changes that have happened. I know I'm not the toy I was seven years ago, and I'm betting you're not either."

"No," she answered.

"I don't foresee any bumps in the road-"

"But you never do."

"No. But I'll do anything, Bo. Anything to keep you and have you with me again."

She understood what he was saying. "I know. Me too. I've missed you for too long to not make it work again. Maybe...maybe we should take it slowly."

Both of them laughed at that. Considering the fact that they were cuddled in each other's arms, away from the prying eyes of others, her suggestion seemed rather theoretical.

"I do understand what you mean," Woody said, still laughing. "It doesn't mean I'm letting go."

"I don't want you to, and I don't think you should," she answered, squeezing him. "But...we were best friends before we were anything else," she reminded him.

"Ahh, the good ol' days of turning your sheep into marshmallows."

"And yanking on your pull string every ten minutes."

"I think we can manage it, don't you?"

"Absolutely. I said forever, didn't I?"

"Forever." He kissed her, then looked musingly at her. "It's getting late," he said, nodding to the twilight outside.

She glanced out the window. "I guess it is." Part of her had been dreading this; last night Bonnie had unceremoniously grabbed Woody and dragged him to bed, practically smothering him all night. She had ached to just sit next to him and sleep on his shoulder like she used to.

Woody seemed to know what she was thinking. "There's a big bean bag chair in the office."

She laughed. "Is there?"

"And the office is always empty." He sat up and pulled her with him. "Come on."

She looked at him hard. "Always empty, hmm?"

"Bonnie doesn't always sleep with me," he said. "Usually it's Jessie she's suffocating. I thought maybe we could-" He trailed off.

Bo resisted the urge to say, "get a room," because it _wasn't _what he was going for at the moment, and instead went with a firm, "Yes. I like that idea."

Woody smiled, a bit relieved. "Glad you still understand me." He blushed, and Bo realized how out of sync he thought they were. "For a second there, I was about to say...uh..."

"'Get a room?'"

He stared at her. "Uh...yeah...but..."

She grinned. "It's okay. I almost said it too."

The outburst of laughter that followed startled everyone else in the room. Jessie looked at Buzz knowingly, and the two of them shared a smile.

"I'm still betting on the den," Buzz said.

Jessie shook her head and cast a glance at the desk. "Nah. Beanbag chair in the office."

...

Woody craned his neck around Bonnie's bedroom door and surveyed the area carefully. Jessie had done well. Bo wasn't there. He grinned and pushed the door further open with his shoulder and dragged the heavy marshmallow bag across the floor to Bonnie's desk, where Bo's lamp and sheep were sitting in the sunlight.

He was determined that she was going to feel at home here, whatever it took. He had asked Jessie to get Bo out of Bonnie's room for a little while today. He'd only needed fifteen minutes, but Jessie had gone off about how she and Bo needed to catch up and have some serious girl talk. Bo had been overjoyed when she'd found out about Jessie and Buzz, s, knowing that he and Buzz were going to be the subject of most of that girl talk, Woody had tried to reiterate that he only needed fifteen minutes, but Jessie danced away, promising him several hours, easily.

He looked around again at the base of the desk and saw Slinky and Buttercup engaged in a game of Old Maid. No one else was around. Woody grabbed the ends of the bag and pulled open the zipper. Grinning and trying to hold back the burst of laughter that was tickling his throat, he tossed several of the marshmallows up onto the desk.

"What're you doing?" Buttercup abruptly asked from behind him.

Woody jumped and spun around. Buttercup and Slinky were standing next to him, Buttercup looking puzzled, and Slinky looking bemused. Woody breathed again. "I'm...uh...playing a prank."

"He's askin' to get pinned an' tickled by Bo and Jessie, he means," Slinky laughed, his tail bobbing congenially.

Buttercup frowned. "Huh?"

Woody shook his head. "I am not."

"He is."

"Nope."

"Marshmallows?" Buttercup asked again. Woody ignored him and shimmied up the leg of the desk.

The marshmallows he had tossed up were lying scattered throughout the random Barbie shoes, sticks of gum, and eraser bits that inevitably accumulated on Bonnie's desk. Woody picked up two of the marshmallows and kicked the third up to Bo's lamp. Her sheep, sleeping, bleated and opened their eyes.

Woody knelt down and scratched their heads. "Hey guys. Do you remember when I used to play that prank on Bo with the marshmallows?"

The sheep nodded. The one in the middle nipped his sleeve cuff affectionately. He scratched its head hard. "I'm planning on doing it again. How about you guys go and play with the Peas in a Pod?"

The sheep nodded happily, then jumped off the desk and began scuttling away.

Woody watched them pitch themselves onto the bed and roll down the pillow. Unlike Bo, they were made of plastic and could stand to fall off things. Once they had reached the floor, Woody turned grabbed a black marker from Bonnie's pencil cup, pulled a few toothpicks out of his holster, and set to work.

...

"We should do this regular," Jessie said, pushing open Bonnie's door.

"Watching TV, talking, or going through Pam's makeup?" Bo asked, laughing.

Jessie grinned. "Any of the above. Did I get all that junk off?"

Bo looked carefully at Jessie's face. "You've still got something on your left cheek," she answered, pointing.

Jessie wiped at the offending makeup with her sleeve. "I didn't like the feel of that stuff, though. Kinda goopy."

"If you mean the foundation, it's supposed to be 'goopy.' On skin it sinks in, on plastic it just sits."

"Well if I'm ever human, you can bet we'll try it again," Jessie said, looking around Bonnie's room. She caught sight of Woody and Buzz playing _Kerplunk _with Dolly and several Barbies. "Ooh – I think we gotta go intervene, Bo."

Bo put her hand on her hip and surveyed the scene with a grin. "I trust him...but that doesn't mean I'm not jealous."

Jessie pulled on Bo's arm and started towards the group. "He's never even looked at another girl, Bo. I was just kidding."

Bo smiled. "I know. But that doesn't mean I can't be jealous."

"Buzz!" Jessie hollered, making the space ranger jump. "Can we play?"

Buzz and Woody turned around, and Jessie watched the cowboy's face carefully. She didn't know why she'd been asked to keep Bo busy for a few minutes – or hours – and she was curious. Woody's face, already graced with a smile from the game, lit up at the sight of Bo. Jessie watched him pull his hat off to acknowledge Bo's presence and extend a hand to pull her into the circle. Jessie warmed at the pair of them. That extra light had been absent from Woody's eyes for too long.

"What were you ladies up to?" Woody asked as Buttercup pulled a stick out, sending a cascade of marbles clattering through the chute.

"We were watching _Woody's Roundup _and _Buzz Lightyear of Star Command _on the internet for a few hours."

"Jessie, really, that show is so old-" Buzz started, exasperated.

"And then we talked for a long time, and then we decided to go through Pam's makeup bag," Jessie finished, talking over Buzz. Buzz poked her side.

"Makeup bag? Why?" Woody asked, looking at Bo.

She shrugged. "It was there. Jessie was curious."

Woody swung around and inspected Jessie's face. "Feel free to hit me if I'm wrong, but I don't see anything."

Jessie stuck her tongue out. "There's nothin' to see. I wiped it all off."

"Why?" Buzz asked, sounding slightly let down.

"Cuz it was nasty-feelin'! It was all slimy and gross...what stuff was it again?"

"The foundation."

"Yeah. That stuff's nasty."

"Are you going to talk, or are you still playing?" Dolly asked Woody.

"Oh! Yeah, sorry..." He looked at the sticks and then pulled one out strategically, sighing with relief when only a few marbles fell.

"Nice one," Bo congratulated.

Woody bowed then held up the orange stick. "Hey -" He brandished it like a sword at her. "Swordfight?"

Bo grinned and backed up, whipping her crook into position. "You're on!"

...

It was late in the afternoon, almost time for Bonnie to come home, when Bo finally wondered where her sheep were.

"I haven't seen them all day, have you?" she asked Woody as they watched Jessie braiding a Barbie's hair.

"No," Jessie answered, tying off the hair.

The Barbie swung around and shook her head. "I thought I heard them earlier, up on the desk."

"Me too," Woody said. "I still don't get how you do that," he told Jessie.

"I'm going to go check on them," Bo said, and left.

"'Kay. Really, I don't get how you hold three pieces of hair in two hands."

"It's easy. Kinda like juggling."

"I can't juggle."

A light flickered on at the desk. Woody smirked and looked up expectantly.

"WOODY!"

He covered his face to dim the snort of laughter that escaped him. "YES?"

"WHERE ARE MY SHEEP!"

As Woody surrendered to his laughing attack, Jessie realized why she'd been asked to keep Bo out of the room. Seconds later Bo arrived, vengeance and delight waring on her features. "Woody, where are my sheep!"

"What, did they turn into marshmallows again?"

"Yes," she said, trying not to crack a smile. "Come on, sheriff, where are they?"

Woody's eyes were full of teasing. "Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep-"

"Woody!" She lunged toward him and he sidestepped her, grinning.

"And doesn't know where to find them-"

"I haven't forgotten you're ticklish," she warned, chasing him.

"So are you!" He ducked behind Jessie. "Leave them alone and they'll come home-"

Jessie turned and grabbed his arms and spun him around so Bo could reach him. Bo pushed him and Jessie pulled until they had him pinned, and tickled him mercilessly.

"Hey! Stop it! Stoppit! Bo, Jess...come on! Ahh! Buzz!" Woody squirmed and laughed, twitching hard, but Jessie held him down firmly and Bo kept on tickling.

"You just hang on, mister. I've got eight years of this to make up for."

Hey gang – hope you don't mind my plugging in a few fluffy chapters now...I couldn't resist. Due to tomorrow night's ensuing Harry Potter insanity, I decided NOW would be the prudent time to post. Enjoy! Of course, I don't own Pixar, Kerplunk, Barbie, brown beanbag chairs, or anything else with rising stock prices.


	15. Cake Toppers

_For all you creatures out there who are impatiently waiting for your Black Friday specials, here's something to read. For all you creatures who prefer to sleep in on Black Friday, here's a present for when you finally wake up. :)_

_Planning a wedding can drive you mad. Wouldn't it be nice if someone else did all the planning, and all you had to do was show up?_

_**Cake Toppers**_

_**2012**_

Cameron giggled and grabbed at the Buzz Lightyear doll being zoomed through the air above him.

"Cam-cam, do you wanna make Buzz fly?" Bonnie asked, swooping the toy down and closing his wings. She took her baby brother's little fist and poked it into the red button on Buzz's space suit. The wings popped open, blinking lights, and Cameron screamed in delight.

"That's right, you like Buzz, don't you Cam-cam?"

The doorbell rang, and Bonnie looked up expectantly. She couldn't go get the door; her mom had made her promise to watch Cameron while she folded some laundry. A few moments later, Bonnie heard voices in the hallway, and her mother and Ellie came into the nursery.

"Ellie!" Bonnie jumped up and tackle-hugged the dark haired young woman in the doorway.

Ellie laughed and knelt down on the floor with Bonnie. "Whatcha up to?" she asked happily, looking at Cameron, who was trying hard to reach Buzz. Cameron hadn't quite got the hang of rolling over yet.

"I'm showing Buzz to Cameron. See? He can make him fly." Bonnie helped Cameron repeat his trick of opening Buzz's wings. Again, Cameron shrieked gaily and made mad grabs at the toy.

"That's awesome, Bonnie. Hey, I came to ask you a couple of favors."

Bonnie gave Ellie her undivided attention; something that marveled her mother. "Sure."

Ellie smiled. "How would you like to be the flower girl at my wedding?"

Bonnie jumped up. "Really! Yes!" She bounced around in a circle and landed back on her knees, looking at Ellie. "Do I get a pretty dress and everything?"

"Of course. I came by to get your dress measurements. My mom and I are sewing the dresses."

"That's a lot of work," Bonnie's mom said from the doorway. "Do you need any help?"

Ellie looked back. "Thanks, but we've got it. We're only making three dresses. Mine is almost finished, and we just need to do Molly's and Bonnie's."

"Is Molly the bridesmaid?" Bonnie asked.

"Yeah. Your dress will look kind of like hers."

"What color?"

"Burgundy with an ivory sash."

"What color is burgundy?"

Ellie laughed. "You know that dress that Bo has, the dark one with the lace?"

"The one you made for Woody?"

"That's the one. It's the same color."

"Okay!"

"And that leads me to the other favor I need to ask." Ellie chuckled a little bit and looked at Bonnie's mom, then back at Bonnie. "You know how at some weddings there are little bride and groom dolls that stand on top of the cake?'

Bonnie thought for a minute. "Um...like in _Little Mermaid_?"

Ellie laughed. "I'd completely forgotten about that. Yes, just like in the _Little Mermaid."_

"Okay."

"Well, after I had decided what colors I wanted for the reception, and what the dresses were going to look like, and what I wanted the cake to look like, I asked Andy if there was anything _he_ wanted."

Bonnie's mom laughed. "At some point the groom has some say, huh?"

Ellie nodded, grinning. "Exactly. And he said that he was fine with everything, and was really glad I'd asked his opinion about things, but that I should really just find some way to surprise him."

"And throwing cake in his face doesn't count?"

Ellie laughed. "Absolutely not!" She looked at Bonnie. "So, I thought, wouldn't it be funny if Andy shows up to the wedding, and the cake toppers aren't those little plastic bride and groom, or a castle, or some other strange thing, but were Woody and Bo? Do you think that would count as a surprise?" She looked a bit uncertainly at Bonnie, then up at her mom.

Bonnie jumped up and rushed out of the room to get Woody and Bo, and her mom laughed. "Actually, Ellie, I think that's a really sweet idea. Very romantic: Bo used to belong to Andy, and then you, and then you two ended up together and so did the toys... Yes, I think it's very sweet, and it will be a nice surprise."

Ellie let out the breath she was holding. "That's what I thought too, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't crazy. I'm pretty sure I will be certifiably insane by the time I get this wedding planned and over with." She picked Cameron up and walked over to Mrs. Austen. "Thanks for letting Bonnie be the flower girl."

"Oh, she's so excited. You're her favorite person in the universe, you know that, right?"

Ellie grinned crookedly. "Not sure what I did to deserve that."

Bonnie ran up to them, holding Woody and Bo, who was now in her Stagecoach Special dress. "I just told them, and they think its a great idea!" She waved them around. "Bo likes it better than Woody, though."

Ellie laughed. "Of course. Andy doesn't seem to care too much about the actual wedding details either."

Bonnie bounded off down the hall, singing. Her mom took Cameron from Ellie. "Has he told you where he's taking you for your honeymoon?"

Ellie shrugged. "No, that's going to be _my _surprise. Now I just have to convince him, or at least Julie, that I need to at least know what kind of clothes to pack."

"I'm sure Julie will tell you."

"Hope so."

"You'd better go get her measurements, if you can get her to hold still."

"Right."

Ellie followed Bonnie into her room and smiled at the sight of all of Andy's toys and half a dozen Barbie dolls scattered across the floor. Bonnie was clearly in the midst of an elaborate game.

"Why don't you come here and let me see how tall you are?" Ellie asked, kneeling down and pulling scratch paper and a tape measure from her bag.

Bonnie obediently bounded over and stood up tall. Ellie had her spread her arms out and she measured the span.

"Ellie?"

"Hmm?"

"Does this mean Woody and Bo can be married too?"

Ellie's face cracked into a smile. "I don't see why not."

"That's good."

Ellie scribbled on her paper and Bonnie looked over at Woody and Bo, lying on her bed.

"Can she wear the wedding dress?"

Ellie glanced up. "I was wondering about that, but I think I want her to wear the dress I made for Woody."

"For the wedding?"

Ellie measured Bonnie's waist. "Yeah."

Bonnie sighed dramatically. "Oh-kay."

Ellie laughed and wrote down a number, hoping it was close to right. Bonnie didn't hold still for very long. "Okay. It's your job to make sure they both look good for the wedding, kay?"

"They'll look good!"

"All right, I have to go now. I have to finish writing a paper before I go book the church."

"What's the date?" Pam asked, holding Cameron on her hip.

Ellie closed her eyes. "Feb 13th. That gives me two months and five days to finish the rest of this off."

"Wow. How long have you been planning?"

"Four months now. But between school, work, and saving money, trust me – it's felt like a couple of weeks."

...

"Are you still awake?" Woody asked Bo quietly, half hoping she'd be asleep.

"Mhmm." She turned over on the bean bag and looked at him.

Woody smiled at her in the moonlight. "You'd been quiet for a long time."

Bo shrugged and resettled herself. "I don't think many people are sleeping well tonight."

Woody chuckled and glanced at the window. "I bet Andy is wearing a hole in his apartment floor, pacing."

Bo giggled. "I can guarantee Ellie is lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling."

"Did she do that a lot?"

"Whenever she couldn't sleep. I can't blame her tonight, though."

"No. Just imagine, thinking you're getting _married _in the morning," Woody joked, poking her nose.

"I couldn't possibly imagine what that must feel like," she laughed, swatting his hand away.

He smiled. "I'm glad, though."

She nodded. "Me too." She looked at the darkened ceiling for a while. "It's such a relief, knowing that Bonnie isn't going to get rid of any of us, or separate us."

"And then she'll send us back to Andy," Woody finished, grinning. "We're really going to be together for a long time before we ever have to worry about being separated again. Decades."

Bo poked Woody's chest. "You and Andy. You're like Lassie sometimes, the way you dote on him."

He laughed. "Didn't I ever tell you what Wayne said?"

She shook her head and watched him quietly.

Woody smiled sadly and looked out the window again. "He told me to take care of Andy for him, because he couldn't anymore. I was supposed to make sure he turned out all right; grew up to be a good man."

"He said that to you?"

He nodded. "Yeah. It was the craziest thing – and then he rolled over on top of me, grabbing his side... I actually squeezed his hand."

Bo raised her eyebrows. "You did?"

Woody bowed his head. "I guess some people would think I was pretty cavalier – I did it to Andy once, too. When he and Ellie brought you back to me."

Bo stroked his cheek. "I think you were doing your job, Woody. Sometimes humans connect with a toy – and there are exceptions to the rules. I used to talk to Ellie when she wasn't paying attention."

He grinned, glad that both of them had committed a similar offense. "You don't think I should be shot at dawn, then?"

Bo laughed. "No! That would mean I didn't get to marry you." She paused while he kissed her cheek. "Woody, I think you did a good job with Andy. Wayne would be proud of him, and he'd be proud of you if he knew." She snuggled closer to him. "You'd be a great dad," she whispered.

He sighed. "You and I are too human," he muttered. "It's a shame; our kids would have been cute."

Bo laughed outright and pushed him. "They would have been, hmm? Little cowboys and cowgirls?"

He tickled her sides and she squirmed. "And we could teach them to ride Bullseye and track your sheep-"

"And call Jessie and Buzz 'aunt' and 'uncle?''

"Oh, they would _love _that!"

The two of them burst into a fit of giggles. Woody finally got control of himself. "Oh, poor Buzz! The look on his face would be _priceless_."

"We'd have to be careful. We might catch them thinking they can fly."

"Mmm, that's true. We'll have to give Buzz a lecture on what he can and can't teach them."

Bo sighed, satisfied, and cuddled back up to Woody. "We made it," she said a few minutes later, feeling Woody's chest rise and fall against her cheek.

"To where?" Woody asked, his eyes closed.

"Somewhere closer to forever."

"And what happens when we get there?" he asked sleepily.

"I've always imagined a heaven where we get to be human," she answered, closing her eyes and surrendering to the drowsiness that was overcoming her.

"And then we can have those five kids," Woody muttered.

"Five?"

"Or whatever," he mumbled, and fell asleep.

...

_Andy had begun to show the first signs of leaving his toys behind and moving on to things like soccer and video games. It would have been stressful enough for Woody had the others taken it more gracefully, but Bo knew that wasn't an option for Woody. He felt bound to take care of them._

_ For the past several weeks Bo had watched Woody struggle to keep the others calm as they were one by one tossed into the toy box or forgotten under the bed. Nothing he tried worked. The panic and anarchy coming from Andy's room had been so strong she and the other toys in Molly's room could practically smell it._

_ As the situation had spiraled downward, Woody's spirits had flagged, and their relationship had taken a hit. Usually, Woody was happy to see her at night when he came into Molly's room. They would talk, they would go for walks, sometimes they would go downstairs and watch a movie. But now, Woody dragged himself into Molly's room late at night, looking exhausted and dejected. He didn't want to talk, he didn't want to do anything. He would hug her, then lie down on the desk next to her lamp and fall asleep. She'd tried to console him, encourage him, give him advice, but he had either fallen asleep while she was talking or gotten frustrated. "Don't you think I've already tried that, Bo?" _

_ Bo considered herself a fairly patient person. She had always known that Woody had a job to do, and sometimes she was going to come second. But after nearly two months of being almost completely ignored, she felt frustrated, lonely, and shut off. It was as if he didn't need her anymore._

_ The situation would have blown over eventually. The toys would have gotten accustomed to being inside a toy box at night (half of them always slept there anyway), and they had more time than ever to do whatever they wanted to; Andy was hardly ever home before dinner time. But good old Hamm and Potato Head were drama queens, and they refused to drop it. _

_ "He put you in the toy box, genius! If he's done with you then he's done with the rest of us!"_

_ The quiet Sunday morning silence was broken, and Bo peered into Andy's room to see why Potato Head was shouting. He and Woody were faced off, the toys standing around them in a circle._

_ "He's put me in there before, it's nothing to worry about," Woody countered, trying to sound calm._

_ "Nothing to worry about? Woody, most kids don't toss their favorite toy three weeks after they've gotten rid of the rest of their toys. Andy's done with you, deal with it!"_

_ "He's not done with me, and he's not done with you, or any of you! And he hasn't 'tossed' us – he wouldn't." She could hear the panic and desperation in his voice._

_ "The only reason we're still here is he's too young to have an ebay account," Hamm added, rattling._

_ Bo had kept her nose out of the mess in Andy's room; it wasn't her jurisdiction. But even though Woody was driving her crazy, alternately ignoring and snipping at her, that did not give Potato Head or Hamm the right to abuse him. "Potato Head," she growled, stepping into the room. _

_ Potato Head glared at her as she joined Woody, and she glared right back. _

_ "I see how it is. Your girlfriend has to stick up for you, huh?"_

_ "Leave her out of this," Woody warned, his voice tightening. _

_ "Like you are?" Potato Head taunted, narrowing his eyes. "You don't even talk to her anymore, and here she is defending you."_

_ The silence in the room was deafening. Even though she and Woody didn't broadcast their relationship status to the toys, it was fairly general knowledge at that point that Woody _hadn't _been speaking to her much. Woody turned to her. "That's not true," he muttered._

_ A very hurt, cracked part of her raised its head. "It is," she said quietly. "You don't talk to me anymore."_

_ He frowned. She knew this was the wrong time to bring it up, but the confusion and pain in her head was throbbing insistently. _

_ "I talked to you last night."_

_ But she wanted an apology. She knew it was exhausting, putting up with this all day long, but she was sick of being ignored. "No you didn't," she countered, hands on her hips. "You just crawled up on the nightstand and fell asleep. Like you did the night before that."_

_ "I was there, wasn't I?" he demanded, his voice rising._

_ "Physically."_

_ "What?"_

_ Her head hurt. "I'm just something else on your to do list, aren't I?" _

_ "What? NO!" he shouted, stamping his foot._

_ Woody had never raised his voice to her in his life, and it startled her. But only for a moment. Suddenly they were both shouting at each other, hurling accusations and slurs that eventually had no founding in reality. The other toys nearly literally fled, including Jessie and Buzz, who decided it was probably best to leave the domestic quarrel alone. _

_ At long last, exhausted and despairing, throat and head aching with unshed tears, Bo left and sought refuge in the linen closet. She heard Woody kicking things in Andy's room for a few more minutes, and then heard him stalk down the hall and downstairs. After what felt like an eternity, Bo sunk into a numbness and stared at the light from the hall peeking under the door. They never fought. Disagreed, yes. But in seven years the two of them had never yelled at each other, and they'd certainly never done it in front of everyone else. Their stress levels had to be through the roof._

_ Bo sighed. Stress was the wrong word for what Woody was feeling. Duress had to be closer. He was being let down by his kid, and all of his friends had turned on him. But had he abandoned them? Of course not. He was there, day after day, putting his own doubts about Andy aside and trying, against all odds, to calm the others down. And she had just done the last thing he needed – she had turned on him too. In front of everyone. She, who was supposed to support him, had let him down. She should have found some other time to let him know how she felt. He probably knew he was ignoring her and felt terrible about it, but was just so tired..._

_ "No," she said sternly, getting up. "I'm not going to let this happen." She swallowed her pride and went to find him._

_ "Woody?"_

_ He was lying on his stomach on the couch. "What?" he asked, not looking at her._

_ "It's me."_

_ "I know."_

_ She knelt down and touched his head. "I have to apologize."_

_ He didn't move. Shaking, she ran her fingers across the back of his neck. "I had no right to do that to you," she whispered. She was having trouble articulating her remorse. "You...you've got so much to worry about, and I should have stuck up for you instead of turning on you. I'm sorry..."_

_ He raised himself onto his knees and looked at her. His eyes were utterly lifeless. _

_ "Woody...oh, how on earth could I do that?" She dropped her face into her hands and sobbed. _

_ After a few moments, she felt his hand on her cheek. "Hey, don't cry," he whispered._

_ She was past words at that moment, and continued to sob._

_ "It's all right," he whispered again, this time she could feel his breath on her face. He kissed her cheek, pulled her hands away from her face and kissed her mouth. "It's all right, Bo. It's all right, come here."_

_ He pulled her into his arms and kissed her again, and she sensed a change. It wasn't a soothing kiss, meant to mollify her, it was something else. He pulled away and looked at her for a moment, like he was trying to decide something. Then he sighed and smiled gently. "I give up. I can't be mad at you; it's exhausting." _

_ "Woody-" Her remorse was still burning hot._

_ He put a finger on her lips. "No. I forgive you." He tilted his head. "Can you forgive me for ignoring you?"_

_ If tears had been possible they would have spilled over again then. She nodded fervently. "I'm so sorry, Woody -" Now she knew how he must have felt after his escapade with Al. They could forgive each other and still not feel right again. It hadn't felt right then either, not until-_

_ "Come here," he said, and pulled her against him and kissed her again. His fingers trailed down her spine, and she returned the kiss, both of them slowly relaxing into the forgiveness they were giving each other. _

_..._

_ "You need a vacation," she murmured._

_ He sighed and sat up, scratching his cheek. "_We_ need a vacation." He looked down at her. "We've got to spend more time together if we're going to make this work."_

_ She nodded, looking up at the ceiling. "I was thinking about that trip to the Tetons that the family is taking tomorrow."_

_ "What about it?"_

_ She smiled. "We could stow away and spend the week in a cabin." She expected him to shoot her down, but he looked thoughtful._

_ "Let's do it."_

_ "Are you serious?"_

_ "Yes. We need a break, and we need some alone time." He took her elbows and pulled her up. "You game?"_

_ A week alone in a cabin with Woody, peace and quiet, fresh air, and the Tetons? She wasn't about to say no._

...

Bo awoke and rolled over on the bean bag to look at Woody, still sleeping peacefully beside her. The aftermath of that fight had brought them closer together than she had thought possible. Somehow, even after seven years of being together, when she thought it was impossible to love him more than she did, she'd never been happier to have been proven wrong. That week in the cabin had been sorely needed and nothing less than miraculous. They had fallen in love all over again.

Watching sunsets, exploring the cabin, watching him chase prairie dogs, taking walks around the frog pond behind the cabin, the chenille pillow they pulled behind the couch and slept on...

"Woody?" she kissed his cheek gently. He made a funny sound and slept on. As much as she liked watching him sleep, they really needed to get back to Bonnie's room before she woke up. "Woody, honey, it's time to get up. Bonnie's going to wake up soon."

He blearily opened his eyes and stretched. "I hate waking up an hour before everyone else does," he mumbled.

She sat up. "It's either that or no privacy," she said reasonably.

He nodded and clambered to his feet. "Come on, little lady, lets get this wagon train a-movin'."

"All right, Sheriff," she laughed, letting him help her up. They climbed off the bean bag and Woody offered her his arm. She ignored him, and instead coyly wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him invitingly.

"Mmmm-" He stared as she broke off. "Wow. What was that for?"

She ran her finger around his chin and purposefully moved away when he went for her. "Well we _are _getting married today," she murmured, sauntering off.

He blinked a few times before breaking into a jog to catch up with her. "Oh right. Five hours of standing on a cake. How could I forget?"

She laughed at him.

...

"We'll just leave everything in here overnight, honey."

"That sounds amazing. And don't count on me coming back at the crack of dawn to get it."

"Frank, since I'm the one who would have to drive you back here to get the car, you can bet it won't be the crack of dawn."

The trunk slammed shut and Ellie's parents trudged away to their other car. It was nearly 11:30, and they had just got the last of the wedding decorations down.

"When it's Zack's turn, I say we hire a clean up crew," Frank's voice said. It was quickly muffled by the sound of an engine, and their car drove out of the church parking lot.

"I have icing _all _over my boots," Woody complained, sitting up in the box and scraping his boots against the box's edge.

Bo sat up and began examining the hem of her dress. "That's what happens when you stand on a cake for five hours."

"Remind me not to do it again," Woody mumbled, rubbing at a stubborn bit of icing.

"Well we _were _on a stand until that kid came over," Bo said reasonably, now picking bits of white icing off the lacy hemline of her dress.

"Yeah, well, Andy and Ellie sure didn't help either," Woody said crossly, frowning at his boots and then looking over at Bo. "She said she wasn't going to throw the cake."

Bo laughed and turned over the hem in her hands. "That was just so Andy wouldn't smash the cake in _her _face, Woody."

"Hmmm."

Bo sighed. "But it did get all over everything." She frowned and pulled her skirt up to her knee, exposing another glob of dried frosting. "including my legs."

Woody's eyes followed her hemline closely. "I don't know how you could tell, Snow White."

Bo looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. "Snow White?"

He moved over and meekly pulled a mint green frosted leaf from the side of her dress. "Let me help."

"Thanks," she said absently, scraping hard at her knee.

Woody silently pulled bits of nonexistent cake and frosting off her dress while Bo, frown deepening, continued to scrape at her knee in disbelief. "It's all _over_," she whispered, frustrated.

Woody decided the moment had come. "Only one way to fix that," he said, and taking her by the hands, pulled her to her feet.

Nose to nose, Bo stared at him confusedly. "What?"

He looked at her very deliberately for several seconds before popping one of the snaps on the side of her dress. She froze and held her breath. He slid his hand to the next snap. "You told me to hold onto that train of thought, remember?" he asked.

Bo let out a sound that was halfway between a gasp and laugh. "I did, didn't I?"

"I think I've held onto it long enough."

...

As always, all rights to Pixar, Disney, etc.


	16. David and Goliath

_For those of you keeping track, our happy couple met 23 years ago, hooked up 22 years ago, and said forever 20 years ago._

"_They did live happily. But the point is, gentlemen, that they _lived_."_

_-Ever After_

**David and Goliath**

**2017**

Woody looked warily at the box. It was an enormous shipping box from the post office, complete with and accompanying bag of packing peanuts. And it was lying open on Bonnie's bed.

On the side of the box, barely visible, was a white address label. He couldn't read it from the shelf. He bit his lip as he watched Bonnie scribbling something on a piece of paper from her school notebook. On the bookshelf to his right, Jessie shuffled uncertainly.

A few days ago, Bonnie had dragged all of them off the shelf they had been sitting on for the past year and half, and given them a complete cleaning. They were dusted, wiped down, Buzz's batteries were changed, the Potato Heads' accessories were all wiped off with Clorox wipes, Slinky's springs were cleaned, and Bo's dress was changed and shaken free of dust. And now the box.

"Can you see it?" Buzz whispered from the bookshelf.

Woody shook his head warningly. He was beginning to have his doubts about Bonnie. She hadn't touched any of them in over a year, and Woody was starting to worry that she wouldn't ever send them back to Andy. Now it looked like they were going to shipped off to the family's storage shed in the city. He chanced a glance up at Bo, who was eyeing the box with equal trepidation. Their eyes met and he forced a quick smile. She'd see right through it, but maybe it would help.

Bonnie turned from whatever she was writing and looked up at the shelf. Woody froze into place, his head knocking against Bo's knees. Bonnie looked at them for a moment, then moved to the basket at the foot of her bed and opened it, peering in at the rest of Andy's old toys.

"Bonnie! Can you come help me for a minute?" Pam's voice called from the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'm coming."

Brown curls swaying around her shoulders, Bonnie left the room. Woody wasted no time in jumping off the shelf and falling five feet to the bed. He rounded the box, the other toys watching with warily. He pushed up the lid to read the address, and felt his heart lighten. He glanced down at the note Bonnie had been writing.

_"Ellie and Andy – since you've had your first kid, I thought I'd keep my promise and send your toys back to you! Thank you for letting me take care of them, and I hope David has as much fun with them as I did."_

"What is it, Woody?" Buzz called.

He looked up, grinning from ear to ear. "It's all right, guys!" he called out. "She's shipping us back to Andy! He and Ellie have a little boy now!"

He climbed back up onto the shelf amidst sighs of relief. Buzz flashed him a thumbs-up as he hugged Jessie with one arm. Woody grinned at him.

"We're goin' back," Jessie muttered from Buzz's arms. "I was so worried it was the storage shed!"

Woody took Bo's hand. "Whew! I thought for a minute there we were about to spend the next ten years in storage."

Bo squeezed his hand and smiled gently. "You worry too much," she chided.

"Hey, I saw the way you were looking at that box."

She laughed and sat down on the edge of her lamp, tugging on his arm. He gladly settled himself next to her and scratched her back.

Going back to Andy. He'd always hoped – always – that he would stay with the Davis family. "I can't believe it. We're so lucky," he said happily.

Bo grinned at him. "Another baby."

"Another?" Woody asked.

Bo nodded. "Molly, Olivia, Cameron, and now Andy's baby."

"Olivia?"

"It was the name of the little girl Ellie's sister lost."

Woody grimaced. "They had her named already?"

Bo sighed. "And a nursery halfway decorated."

Considering that being shipped back to Andy and Ellie qualified as good news, Bo didn't seem very happy. "What is it?" Woody asked softly. He was glad that they had the shelf to themselves. It wasn't exactly private, but if they were quiet, no one could hear what they talked about.

Bo looked at him and shook her head, a small blush warming her cheeks. Intrigued, he nudged her slightly. "Do you remember," she asked quietly, "talking about having five kids?"

Woody thought. It sounded like a conversation he would have enjoyed, but he honestly couldn't remember it. "Uhh..."

She nudged him back. "You were half asleep."

"Oh. One of those conversations."

Bo laughed a bit. "Yes, one of those. I said I had always imagined a heaven where toys get to be human, and you said then we could have five kids."

He considered this. "And then I fell asleep?"

"Mhmm."

"So...what about having five kids?" he prompted her, eyebrows raised.

She avoided his gaze again for a moment. Then, "I'm made for little kids, Woody. I watched Molly since she was born, keeping a light on to make sure she wasn't scared when she woke up at night. I was supposed to do the same for Olivia. And then Pam put me in Cameron's bedroom when he was born." She paused and looked down at the box. "I get to play mom for a few hours every night. I can't tell you how sweet it is... and it's my _job_." She smiled contentedly. "I can't think of anything I'd rather do, Woody. But sometimes I wish instead of just _looking _at a baby I could _hold_ one."

Woody felt his insides turn to warm goo at this. "You're _baby hungry_?" He scooped her into his arms. "Bo, that is the sweetest thing I have ever heard you say."

"Really?"

He nodded fervently. "Yeah. You would be a wonderful mom." He touched her face and sighed. "It's a shame you're made of porcelain." Devoutly hoping that whatever end awaited broken toys, that somehow she would get her wish, Woody kissed her forehead.

Too human, just like Buzz had said. He was made to take care of people. He had never forgotten the charge that Wayne had given him: take care of Andy. Bo was made to care for babies; to make them smile and keep the nightmares away. Toys were there to care for children. But then again, so were parents. He loved being a toy; humanity seemed large and complicated. But all those complications aside, the idea of having a family – having children that he could actually talk to and tell them he loved them – was wonderful.

He moved to kiss her again, but the sound of Bonnie's flip flops in the hallway stopped him. Automatically the two of them moved back into position, just as Bonnie walked through the door.

Bonnie, now a pretty fourteen year old girl with long curled hair and deep purple nails, re-entered the room, holding another box from the post office, somewhat smaller. She rounded the bed and opened the toy basket, pulling up the eco-friendly bag that held all of Andy's old toys except for Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and Bo. Humming slightly to herself, she put the toys and alternating layers of packing peanuts in the bigger box. Then she turned and got Buzz and Jessie off the bookshelf.

Woody felt a flare of panic as Bonnie pulled him off the shelf above her bed. _It's okay, Woody, _he told himself, _she's coming too._ He sneaked a look at Bonnie after she put him in the box on top of Hamm. But Instead of getting Bo off the shelf, she started dumping packing peanuts into the smaller box. Woody glanced back up at Bo, who was watching Bonnie carefully. She had to come with him, she had to...

Somewhere below him, Woody heard Rex whimper softly. Woody shuddered, and the panic flared up again until Bonnie finally turned around and took Bo, her lamp, and sheep off the shelf and put them in the smaller box. He took a breath. Of course Bonnie would need another box for the lamp. Rex whimpered again.

"Quiet," Buzz hissed as Bonnie's face loomed over the box.

Bonnie's face broke into a smile. "You should probably go with her, shouldn't you?" she asked the toys at large, then reached down and picked Woody up. He was dizzy with relief as he was pressed into a sea of packing peanuts that closed over his face. Somewhere near his side, he felt Bo's hand reaching for him. He took it and squeezed.

Very dimly beneath all the peanuts, Woody heard Bonnie's cell phone go off.

"Hello? Oh, hey. For real? Yeah, I'll be right out-" Her footsteps retreated and Woody heard the door shut.

Woody forced his way up, pulling Bo with him. "Whew. I thought for a minute there-"

"So did I."

He looked over at the other box, where Mr. Potato Head was now chastising Rex for making too much noise. "She could have heard you!"

"I know, I'm sorry...I just-"

"I know, you get nervous before you travel," Potato Head said, talking over him.

Woody frowned. Rex had no reason to be nervous. And he hadn't _been _nervous in a long time. It was... "Oh, snap."

Without explanation, Woody jumped out of the box and climbed over the open lid of the toy basked and dropped in. All of Bonnie's plush toys and Barbies lived in here now. He looked around frantically.

"Came to say goodbye?" Dolly asked, tipping her head. "You guys finally going home?"

Woody nodded vaguely and continued looking around. His mind wasn't exactly on farewells.

Then he saw her, standing in the corner looking utterly crestfallen. He wasn't going to let this happen again, not on his watch.

"Hey, Trixie?"

Trixie looked up. Her face, set in a smile since the dawn of time, was downcast. "Hi, Woody."

He knelt down next to her and smiled. "Come with us."

She looked a little shocked. "What?"

He patted her shoulder. "You heard me, come with us. I know you want to."

"But I belong here, don't I?"

Woody smiled and shook his head. "I know exactly how you feel, Trixie. And I don't think Bonnie will mind if you come with us. And I know it would make Rex very happy." He knew exactly what being alone felt like, and exactly what the thought of breaking the fundamental rules of being a toy felt like. He'd been through what she was about to, and he wasn't going to let it happen.

She regarded him warily, the smallest of smiles on her face. "You think?"

He chuckled. "I've been there. I know."

Trixie didn't need any more encouragement. With a wave of excitement, the other toys helped her out of the toy basket and up onto the bed with Woody. He lead her over to the large box.

"Hey Buzz? Gimme a hand," he called.

Buzz appeared over the side of the box. When he saw Trixie he grinned. "A stowaway?"

"I have a bad habit of bringing home lost toys," Woody said, swinging himself up into the box.

Trixie stood up on her hind legs and let Woody and Buzz grab her front legs and drag her into the box.

"Trixie!" Rex bobbled happily at the back of the box, his small arms waving.

Woody grinned and swung back out. Bo was leaning contentedly on the side of their box, watching him. "Smooth, cowboy."

He climbed in, a little anxious. "You're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad?"

"Well...I left you," he said quietly.

Bo tossed a peanut at his head. "Woody, you've always been _attached _to Andy. And I was attached to Ellie. Trixie is just...one of the toys."

As always, Bo could make complete sense out of his motives. "You know, I'm glad you understand me, because I always just follow my gut."

She laughed and settled back into the box, watching her sheep try and jump through the peanuts. "And that is why we're so good together."

...

The box shifted with a soft thump, and Woody opened his eyes. He immediately regretted it and closed them again. There was no light in the moving box, and being in that close of quarters with packing peanuts all over him made him panicky- like he was suffocating. He'd always teased Jessie a bit for not being able to deal with being in storage, but after nearly a week in this box, he'd learned that apparently he had developed the same problem.

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, trying to master his sudden impulse to scream.

"Woody?" Her arms wrapped around his torso and pulled, and he felt her snuggle up against him. He relaxed somewhat.

"Thanks."

"You can't tease Jessie anymore," she said. Woody imagined she was grinning.

He chuckled. "Nope. Not that I'm going to mention it at all, though."

"Mmm. I guess I should keep my mouth shut then," she teased.

"I'd appreciate it."

"Would you?"

He reeled her in closer and let his lips find her face. "I could make it worth your while."

She giggled and tried to tickle him, but suddenly the box dropped underneath them and they bounced. Bo gasped and pulled him into a death grip, which he returned. _Being in a box shouldn't be this hard, Woody, _he chided himself. _You've done it before._ There was a distinct bump, and then another as something was put on top of their box.

"I hate this..." he muttered through clenched teeth, holding onto her.

The box tilted and they slid sideways through the packing peanuts. Woody felt his head hit the base of Bo's lamp.

"Where do you think we are?" she whispered urgently.

Their box suddenly righted itself with a thump, and Woody heard a voice outside.

"M_ornin'!. You Ellie Davis?"_

A familiar voice reached his ears. _"That's me."_

_ "I've gotta couple 'a packages for ya, if you'd just sign here... Where'd ya like 'em?"_

_ "Just inside the door, thanks."_

There was another bump as they were placed inside, and then he heard the door shut.

_"Well, well. Bonnie remembered, huh?" _

A baby's crying interrupted Ellie, and her footsteps died away.

"David," Bo murmured excitedly. "We made it, Woody!"

He squeezed her and felt himself unwind a bit. "Yeah. I wish she'd _open _the box."

"She's probably going to wait for Andy to get home from work."

This idea pushed the rest of his claustrophobia from his mind and Woody felt a smile grow on his face. "I can't wait to see him again."

Bo laughed. "Some families pass down pocket watches. The Davis' pass around a cowboy doll."

"Hush," he said, trying to poke her. Whatever he had managed to poke bit him. "Ow!"

"Baa!"

"Oh, sorry guys. I was aiming for her."

Bo just laughed.

...

"I figured you'd want to open them, sweetheart," Ellie said, pulling David out of the playpen.

"Yeah, thanks," Andy said, kneeling down in front of the couple of boxes Bonnie had shipped to them. "Which one do you think Woody is in?" he asked.

Ellie laughed. "Who knows? I'm guessing Bo and her lamp are in the smaller box; maybe Bonnie put him in there."

Feeling an acute sense of sentimentality and nostalgia, Andy slid his car key through the packing tape of the smaller box. All that was visible were packing peanuts. He slipped his hands in and began slowly sifting through the packing material. "Where are you, Woody?" he muttered.

He found something soft and warm, and he immediately remembered the feel of the black and white striped piping around Woody's vest. His memory of what Woody looked like might have faded over the years, but his hands could remember every inch of that doll. He closed his fingers around it and brought Woody out of the peanuts and grinned at him. Dark brown eyes, vague yet reassuring smile, slightly off-kilter sheriff's badge...

"Hey, Woody," he said fondly, adjusting his hat. He looked up at Ellie, who was smiling down on him.

"Are you going to introduce him to David?" she asked.

"Yeah! Bring him down here," Andy enthused.

Ellie sat down Indian style on the front room floor and held the baby up to see Woody.

Andy stood Woody on the floor in front of David. "Hey David, this is Woody. Woody, say hi to David." He tugged gently at the pull string, a little cautious that it might be brittle after so many years. To his extreme delight, _"Somebody's poisoned the water hole!" _reeled out in a voice that he had never quite forgotten.

Ellie laughed, and David gurgled with delight and reached for Woody. Andy grinned. "Careful, young man. Woody's an antique. He's just going to have to sit on a shelf and keep the bandits away until you're older."

"Speaking of sitting on a shelf," Ellie said, nodding at the box. "Is Bo in there?"

"Oh yeah. Here, hold Woody."

"You're forgetting I had a crush on him," Ellie chuckled, reaching out and taking Woody. She bobbed him in front of her baby. "Do you like him, David?" David blew bubbles and clapped his hands.

"Yes, but you married me," Andy mumbled absently, shifting through the box again. "Lamp...sheep..." he laughed and set the lamp and sheep on the floor.

"Oh, the lamp is good," Ellie said, lying David down on his back on the floor. "Maybe David will sleep better with it on."

"The night light sure isn't working," Andy agreed, now elbow-deep in the box. "Where is she? Oh... Here we go!"

Andy held Bo up, looking as demure and patient as a saint in her white and pink dress. He grinned and passed her to Ellie, who was smiling openly at the sight of her old friend.

"Oh, sweetheart, there you are!"

"And here are her clothes," Andy added, pulling the blue Barbie closet out of the peanuts and setting it on the floor by the lamp. "I guess you missed her?"

Ellie stuck her tongue out and carefully held Bo above David, who blinked and clapped again. "Hey, she was in my room for something like seven years. I talked to her all the time."

Andy shrugged and took Woody back, looking over his old favorite toy. "I know what you mean. Sometimes you just get attached." Curious, he picked up Woody's boot and looked at the bottom. It was barely visible, but it was still there. Andy glanced over at the stack of magazines and suduko puzzles on the coffee table, and reached over and grabbed a pencil. Holding Woody gently, he turned the branded boot upright and carefully retraced his name, backwards letters and all, into the sole. Then he stood Woody back up on the ground and looked at him. "Isn't that right, cowboy? Sometimes you just get attached."

...

"He's so cute!" Woody called down gleefully, precariously holding himself over the crib railing.

"Remember he can sit up on his own," Bo warned from the nightstand, leaning on her crook and watching her husband stare at Andy's baby boy. And she thought _she _was bad about children.

"So?" He took his hat off and waved it at the little boy, who squealed with delight. "He's lying down now."

Bo just chuckled and shook her head. Woody hadn't been in the room earlier when David had sat up without warning, yanked his mobile from its holder, and proceeded to eat the soft spotted dog that was dangling from it. Poor Spot had made a feeble attempt to get away, but hadn't been able to manage it. David had sucked on Spot, Bessy the cow, Theodore the duck, and Gilbert the pig before falling asleep.

David's hand reached up and nabbed Woody's hat before he could resist. The boy let out a delighted gurgle before stuffing the brim of the hat in his mouth.

"You'd better get it before he chokes on it," Bo said, smirking. "I'm pretty sure you and your hat qualify as a choking hazard."

Woody frowned at her and swung his legs over the crib. "Hey, David, you gotta give that back now, okay, cowboy?"

"Yaabaa!" David screamed gaily, hitting Woody's hat against the crib.

Woody cringed and dropped in. "Come on, David. Give Woody back his hat..."

Jessie appeared next to Bo. "What's that husband of your's doin' now?"

Bo laughed. "Woody thinks his hat is a teething ring."

Jessie grinned and looked over at the crib. "I wonder if David will find his pull string."

"I'd like to see Andy talk Woody out of that one."

Jessie adapted an overly high-pitched voice and imitated Ellie. "Andrew Davis, what is Woody doing in my son's crib? You _know _he's too young for Woody!"

"I heard that!" came Woody's voice from the crib. "A little help might be nice, Jessie."

Bo and Jessie approached the edge of the nightstand and looked in at Woody, who was tugging hard at his hat, which David seemed most reluctant to let go off. "Is David too much for you, Goliath?" Jessie teased.

Woody glared back at them. "He'll scream when I take this from him," he warned them.

"You mean _if _you can take that from him," Bo corrected, winking at him.

Woody turned around and tugged hard. As if to spite him, David let go immediately, sending Woody crashing backwards into the bars of the crib. "Ouch..."

"Get outta there, Goliath, before he throws a stone at you."

"Or throws up on you," Bo added.

Woody jumped up and grabbed the top bar and vaulted out of David's crib just as the baby decided it was time to sit up and see who was doing all the talking on his nightstand.

Woody got to his feet and shook the slobber off of his hat. "That is gross," he said.

Bo reached out with her crook and lifted the hat from his hands and set it on top of the wipe box. "Let it dry out," she laughed.

"I think I'll let you handle that, mom," he joked, laughing at himself.

_"Mom!"_ Jessie spluttered, doubling over with glee.

"Sure," Woody countered, slipping an arm around Bo's waist.

"You're toys, you remember that, right?" Jessie asked, grinning.

"We remember," Bo answered.

There was a soft scrambling noise in the doorway, and Buzz poked his head in. "Jessie! Are you coming?"

"Oh yeah!" she hollered quietly, dropping off the nightstand and onto the floor. "Are you guys comin'?'

Bo frowned. "Coming where?"

Jessie looked up at them in the dark. "Of all the folks to forget – it's August 12th, you loonies! The meteor shower?"

Bo laughed. "We didn't forget." Woody squeezed her hand tightly. "You guys have fun."

Jessie snorted with laughter. "You sly dogs – keep outta trouble!" She turned and trotted out the door to where Buzz was waiting.

Bo hooked the back of Woody's neck and pulled him close. "What do you say we turn the baby monitor back on and leave, Sheriff?" She walked her fingers up his chest.

Woody let out a deep breath. "I think that is a _wonderful_ idea," he said softly, slipping his arms around her and gently steering her backwards to the baby monitor. He looked over his shoulder at the curious blond boy who was now sucking on a blanket, watching them. "You behave yourself, David Andrew Davis," he ordered.

David made an inarticulate gurgle and sat down.

"Good boy," Woody laughed. "I've got something for you downstairs," he said, winking at Bo. He flipped the monitor's switch back to ON.

...

The front room in the Davis' small house was moonlit, and warmed from the summer breeze teasing through the curtains. Woody led Bo over to the iHome on the floor by the couch and pressed 'play.'

Patsy Cline's voice slipped through the speakers and Bo smiled. She was amazed Andy owned any Patsy Cline at all, and made a mental note to ask Woody about it later. In the soft light, Woody grinned and bowed low to her, then stepped forward, holding his arms out. With the ease of many years, Bo stepped into them and kissed him warmly, the first of many for the evening.

"Happy anniversary," he whispered in her ear as they parted, moving in time with gentle lilt of the music.

"And you, cowboy," she whispered back, savoring the feeling of his cheek against hers. They had not been able to spend all of their anniversaries together, but the last five had made up for the eight before that.

They danced in silence for a while, each content in their own thoughts. Bo smiled to herself as Woody's hands moved around her back, for now carefully avoiding the snaps on her white and pink gown. She gave a contented sigh and slid her arms up and around his neck, running her fingers around his faded red neckerchief. "Hi," she said softly, smiling at him.

"Hi yourself," he answered, kissing her forehead.

"Woody?"

"Hmm?"

"What do you think about soul mates?"

He looked at her, grinning. "You're mine? Is that what I'm s'possed to say?"

She laughed. "Only if you want to."

"Why?" Playfully, he kissed her nose. "What do _you _think about soul mates?"

Half a smile found her face and she looked at the ceiling musingly. "I think, that for humans, it's a fallacy."

Woody chuckled and locked his arms around her waist. "And for toys?"

Bo relaxed a bit in his arms, letting him support her, drenched in quiet and contented thoughts. After a moment, she spoke. "The Potato Heads are soul mates. Barbie and Ken are soul mates. Made for each other, literally."

"Literally."

"But then you have us – no one told us to be together."

Woody smiled cautiously. "And?"

"And we still did it. I think it's better than soul mates, because no one made us for each other." She lapsed into silence, looking over Woody's shoulder and listening to the song change. He seemed content to let her puzzle her thoughts out herself, and slowly changed the pace of their rotation to fit the music. "You could have found someone else and been happy," she said finally.

Woody frowned and looked down at her. "No I couldn't have."

She nodded earnestly to him. "It wouldn't have been the _same, _but you could have had a functioning relationship."

He raised his eyebrows and regarded her. "Bo, if I wasn't ready to let you go after eight years, I don't think another eight would have changed that."

She smiled. "That's what I'm saying, Woody."

"Now I'm just confused," he admitted, stopping and reaching for her hands on his neck.

Bo pulled him forward and kissed him again. Mollified, Woody waited for her to explain her logic to him. "I'm saying you made a choice to stay with me, Woody," she murmured, running her finger over his chin. "No one made you."

Comprehension dawned in his dark eyes. "So you're saying instead of someone _else_ deciding we were soul mates, _we _decided we were."

She grinned, nodding. "Yes. And we keep deciding...we work at it."

Woody looked quite smug and pulled her back into ballroom position against him. "I like it."

"Our forever is our business, Woody," Bo said firmly. "And I love you."

He gently twirled her around and dipped her back, brown eyes holding the blue. "Then I hope forever is enough, sweetheart, because it's all I can give you."

She smiled up at the cowboy she was still madly in love with. "Woody, to me - that's everything."

The End.


	17. Roll the Credits

_...and roll credits to: Haven't Met You Yet, by Michael Buble_

**The Intervening Years**

**by BOC42**

Woody...Tom Hanks

Bo Peep...Annie Potts

Buzz Lightyear...Tim Allen

Jessie...Joan Cusack

Rex...Wallace Shawn

Slinky...Jim Varney

Hamm...John Ratzenberger

Mr. Potato Head...Don Rickles

Mrs. Potato Head...Estelle Harris

Andy Davis...John Morris

And the rest of the posse: Julie, Wayne, and Molly Davis; Pam, Bonnie, Cameron and Mr. Austen; Ellie Jones, Mrs. Jones, Zack Jones, and David Andrew Davis. The LGMs, Dolly, Barbie, Trixie, Mr. Pricklepants (I can't look at Timothy Dalton anymore without laughing), Peas in a Pod, Buttercup, Sarge, Bucket of Soldiers, and anyone else I may have missed.

Thanks to Hasbro, Mattel, Think Way Toys and various other toy companies

All hail the Almighty Pixar!

Facebook appears...well, because its Facebook. It is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. BOC42 does not sanction using Facebook for any form of stalking.

The Swag :

(aka: Stuff I don't own)

Satellite or cable TV, the SciFi channel, Battleship, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Smarties, Robin Hood, Tylenol, Risk, Elementary level social studies books, the Persieds meteor shower, traffic cones (my brother has one), Dixie Chicks (Cowboy, take me away. Seriously. Any time now.), the Beatles, Utah shot glasses, Combat Carls, Barbie, Legos, Chap Stick (except the one in my pocket, which you CAN'T have), the Red River Valley, Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility, John Wayne, Boxcar Children, Paladin, Elmer Fudd, Bugs Bunny, James West or Artemus Gordon (be still, my heart!), the Marx Brothers, Pride and Prejudice, Romeo and Juliet, Kerplunk, The Little Mermaid, iHome, Patsy Cline.

Thank you to Watson (RIP), Sam, and Archie – pets are the best, especially when they're crawling into your lap and licking your face, or chirping at you while you're trying to write. Also, thank you to the two Woody dolls on my bed. ;)

Most of all – thank **YOU**! Yes, **YOU**! For reading! :D I hope you have enjoyed.

**Author's Notes:**

This was originally just me wanting Woody and Bo back together. I didn't even particularly _like _Bo except for Woody's sake. But as I started writing, she acquired a really fun, feisty personality, which I realized was actually fairly accurate, if you watch the movies carefully. As it moved along, it grew from five chapters to ten to sixteen, and then I just forced myself to stop. This is a story that doesn't truly ever _end_, there's just a point where I'm going to stop telling it. Life will go on for Woody, Bo, and the rest of the gang, and I'm sure whatever happens next will be just as much fun as what's gone before.

I realized about halfway through this project that a lot of my ideals about relationships have come out in this – ideals about fidelity, loyalty, forever, working hard to keep it together, and staying in love, not just together. And so, the best of luck to all of you in your relationships, and thanks for hanging in there while I attempted to get Woody and Bo back where they belong.


End file.
